THE Putrajaya Court of Appeal has allowed a group of 137 Orang Asli from the Bateq Mayah ethnic group in Pahang to revive their challenge over their alleged unlawful mass conversion into Islam over 30 years ago.
This came about after the court ordered their lawsuit to be remitted to the Kuantan High Court for hearing.
Justice Datuk S Nantha Balan, who chaired the panel of judges, said the suit needs to be heard as it involved very serious and scandalous allegations of unlawful forced conversion.
He said the federal and state authorities are at liberty to file their affidavit-in-reply by Nov 11, with case management scheduled for the following day.
Last year, the High Court allowed the federal government and five other defendants’ applications to strike out the civil action without hearing its merits.
They are the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA), its director and officer, and the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council.
Nantha Balan said the High Court should not have dismissed the plaintiffs’ application for extension of time in the interest of justice.
Federal counsel Sallehudin Ali appeared for federal and state authorities, while lawyer A Surendra Ananth represented the plaintiffs.
Filed on Sept 28, 2022, the suit alleged that the wrongful and illegal conversion was carried out at the Orang Asli’s home at Kampung Benchah Kelubi, Merapoh, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, in April 1993. - October 9, 2024
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