GEORGE TOWN – More than 50 individuals from several coalitions of Islamic non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Penang today publicly remonstrated Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy and two other DAP politicians who were accused of provoking Muslims.
They marched almost 150m from the Simpang Enam Mosque, here, after performing Friday prayers, before gathering in Komtar to hand over the memorandum to state government representatives.
Among the NGOs involved are Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia, the Penang Surplus Association, and the Penang Malay Association.
A spokesman for the Penang Islamic NGO coalition, Ahmad Yakqub Nazri, said the gathering and handing over of the memorandum was to express solidarity against the statement claiming that Loh Siew Hong’s three children were abducted and forced to convert to Islam.
“We respect and do not dispute the court’s decision, but we do not agree with the statements of three DAP politicians who claimed that the child was abducted and forced to convert to Islam.
“These people acted as if they wanted to fan the flames of hatred against Islam, so much so that many criticized the Perlis mufti and Islam itself,” he said.
The memorandum was received by the private secretary to Deputy Chief Minister 1, Mohd Tabien Sahri.
The contents of the memorandum include urging Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman as the exco for Islamic affairs to bring this matter to the knowledge of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, so that it is discussed by the Conference of Rulers.
Apart from that, Zakiyuddin must also instruct the Penang Islamic Religious Council to monitor and look after the welfare of the three siblings, especially in terms of security and give them access to proper Islamic education.
Last month, Loh was granted a writ of habeas corpus by the high court against the unlawful detention of her three children.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, when delivering his judgement, agreed with Loh’s lawyer A. Srimurugan that respondents in this matter had gone against court orders issued in 2019 and 2021, which granted the single mother full custody of the children.
She had filed the application seeking the freedom of her 14-year-old twin daughters and 10-year-old son from their alleged detention after being separated from them for three years – The Vibes, March 4, 2022
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