GEORGE TOWN – The lead counsel representing single mother Loh Siew Hong in tomorrow’s habeas corpus application hearing has not discounted the possibility of addressing the reversal of her children's conversion to Islam.
Shamsher Singh Thind said the alleged religious conversion of the children may arise in the proceedings tomorrow.
“If there is an opportunity to reverse the conversion, we may pursue it.”
He added that the religious authorities in Penang, Kedah, and Perlis have yet to respond to the letters of demand sent on behalf of Loh ahead of the hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
All three northern states have a role in this controversy as the Islamic non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved is active there. The NGO initially cared for the children before the alleged religious conversion took place in Perlis where they were later placed, and later moved to Kedah.
Shamsher added that the defence is unsure what the religious authorities will put in as their defence.
“We shall see what happens in court tomorrow. The case may also be postponed if the judge feels that he needs time to pore through the documents related to the case.”
The application was made as the three children were allegedly held against the order by the Kuala Lumpur High Court that had granted Loh sole custody of the 14-year-old twin girls and the 10-year-old boy.
However, comments by Penang mufti Datuk Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor that the children should remain Muslims do not sit well with Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy.
“He might have good intentions, but there is no compromise when it comes to the law. Wan Salim said recently that Loh should be given the custody of her three children, but they should remain as Muslims.
“Their reconversion back to Hindus might pose problems for Hindus and Muslims in the country,” he said in a statement today.
“To be fair to Wan Salim, he wants a way out of the present unconstitutional conversion imbroglio. The Perlis religious authorities are to be blamed for the present mess.”
Ramasamy added that unilateral conversion of minors must be addressed as it should not have happened if Perlis authorities paid attention to the constitutional provision on the matter.
The Federal Court in 2018 in the case of single mother Indira Gandhi ruled that religious conversion of minors requires the consent of both parents. – The Vibes, February 20, 2022
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