SYARIAH HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT
ALLOWED TO REVERT – Syariah High Court lets Muslim convert renounce Islam and go back to Buddhism
This was the STAR headline on Friday 9 May 2008. The press releases of Sisters In Islam and MCCBCHST are relevant:
1) Sisters In Islam
Sisters in Islam programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi said unresolved conversion issues have been going on for a long time and people had hoped that the judiciary and the authorities involved would resolve them.
“Our position is – once a person does not wish to remain in the religion, there is no point for the authorities to stop the person from opting out. This landmark case complies with Islamic principles and the Federal Constitution which guarantees the freedom of religion,” she said.
2) MCCBCHST
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has mixed feelings over the decision by the Penang Syariah High Court’s decision to permit a Chinese Muslim to revert to her original faith.
Council president Datuk A Vaithilingam said he was happy that Tan Ean Huang (Siti Fatimah) was now free to practice her Buddhist faith again but it should have been made easier for her to return to her original faith.
“A person should have the freedom to profess his or her own religion without administrative hurdles, enforced counseling and having to wait years for her faith to be officially recognized.
“Religious freedom is something dear to all Malaysians. We should be allowed to worship the Supreme Being in our own way.”
Vaithilingam stressed that Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution must be respected. Article 11(1) provides that every person has the right to profess and practice his own religion.
“The council believes that a simple registration process should be implemented to allow persons to have their religion officially recognised, according to their own wishes.
“We also believe that religious conversion, be it into or out of Islam, cannot be used as an excuse to avoid one’s obligations to one’s family.”
(New Straits Times, Friday 9 May 2008)
In addition to these two press releases we would do well to remember Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
See also Haris Ibrahim’s comments.
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