Religion: Children's Conversion

M. Indira Gandhi with her two children

2013

Don't fear conversion law, public told

.....Politicians from both sides of the divide, civil society groups and the public have described Section 107(b) of the Bill, which allows a minor to be converted with the consent of only one parent, as unconstitutional......

.....Various groups have argued that the provision is not only unconstitutional but goes against an April 2009 Cabinet decision that children of an estranged couple should remain in the common religion of the parents at the time of marriage should one parent convert.....

......Malaysian Consultative Council Of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, in a statement, objected to some of the provisions, which it said affected the rights of non-Muslims, created social injustice and went against the spirit of the Federal Constitution......

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Selangor, Perak muftis tell critics of child conversion law to back off

(Malay Mail) - The Cabinet’s 2009 ruling against unilateral child conversions to Islam is not applicable to Muslims, said Selangor Mufti Datuk Tamyes Abd Wahid, insisting that children in mixed-creed marriages must embrace Islam when one parent does so......

......In terms of custody law (child care), young children fall under the care of the mother. But in cases where there are different religions, the child should follow the religion of Muslim parent,” Tamyes (picture) was quoted as saying by the Sinar Harian news portal today.

“For example, if the father embraces Islam but the mother does not, then the religion of their underage children must follow the father’s,” he said......

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2012

Mother gets custody of children in Muslim convert case

A kindergarten teacher will have custody over her three children who were converted to Islam by her Muslim-convert former husband.

This is because Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah, or K. Patmanathan as he was known before conversion, has lost his chance to appeal to the Federal Court the decision of an Ipoh High Court which granted custody of the children to M. Indira Gandhi.

A five-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria dismissed Muhammad Ridzuan’s application for leave to appeal....

....On March 11, 2010, the Ipoh High Court granted Indira the custody of Tevi Darsiny (Ummu Salamah), 15, Karan Dinish (Abu Bakar), 14 and Prasana Diksa (Ummu Habibah), four, but allowed Ridzuan to visit his children once a week.....

....Ridzuan embraced Islam in April 2009 and subsequently converted his children to Islam without Indira’s consent.....

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2009

Conversion without consent

.....Mother fights back

The mother of the three converted children has started legal action in order to get her children back as Hindus.

Indira Gandhi’s story was front page news on two days in Makkal Osai. The first on 16 April was headlined My children should be returned to me as Hindus, Indira Gandhi appeals. In that report, she said she had no objections to her husband becoming a Muslim, but she wanted her three children back as Hindus. “This is a mother’s fight for her rights and I will not back down,” she said......

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Religion is a sensitive issue, especially here in Malaysia. By convention, the child would automatically take on the parent's religion, the religion the child is born into. It is only natural. However, when something like this happens, a Hindu father after converting to Islam, and secretly converting his children without the consent and knowledge of the mother who is a Hindu, it causes great distress to the family. Although this is a family matter, it raises concerns about the rights of other religions in this country, especially for children.

The issue in this particular case, I believe, is not so much on religion, but doing the right thing. Is what was done by Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah morally right? Despite knowing it will cause distress and unhappiness to the family. It is the way it is done, that has created problems, questions and suspicions. Because of Malaysia's laws on religion, in particular Islam, conversions should not to be taken lightly.

In my opinion, in this case where the children would have to live with the decision for the rest of their lives, the right thing to so is to obtain the consent of both parents. Perhaps, since they were born Hindu, in the meantime, they can be schooled in both Hinduism and Islam. When they reach adulthood, they can make their choice. The parents should think of their children's happiness and well-being.

The children can only enjoy childhood once in their lifetime. With a bit of give and take, at least they will have happy memories.

Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah aka K Patmanathan, the husband & father.