Unilateral conversion of a child to be condemned

suppadmin | December 10, 2016

The Federal Constitution is the supreme law of this land. No state laws or state Islamic laws can contravene the provisions in the Federal Constitution. SUPP does not agree with some scholars’ views that state Islamic laws are within autonomous powers of a state, said President of SUPP, Senator Datuk Dr. Sim Kui Hian.

Dr. Sim who is also the Local Government Minister condemned the Perlis government’s amendment of its enactment to allow the unilateral conversion of a non-Muslim child by a newly converted Muslim parent without the consent of the non-Muslim spouse.

He said SUPP reminds that Federal Constitution is not only supreme, it defines Malaysian society. If a state can simply amend any Islamic laws contravening FC, this will cause grave conflicts and confusion as to the definition of Malaysia established since 1963 from state to state.

We in SUPP fully supports our government’s efforts in amending both Article 12(4) of the FC and the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 to only allow child’s religious conversion to be consented by both parents. This not only resolves the long outstanding issues of child’s conversion that haunted our country, it also once again upholds the 1963 spirit of Malaysia, he added.