Keratan akhbar - Decision shocks syariah lawyers

The Star
Friday April 24, 2009

PETALING JAYA: Courts must be allowed to remain free from interference from any party including the Government, said Malaysian Syariah Lawyers Association (PGSM) deputy president Musa Awang.

“PGSM is shocked with the latest decision of the Cabinet. We view the decision as an interference of legislative matters. It threatens the freedom of the courts,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“PGSM demands that the decision be postponed and reviewed again with the input from all parties inclu­ding NGOs, the public and academicians.”
He stressed the freedom of the court and the legislative institution must be defended.
Musa was commenting on the Ca­bi­net’s decision on children of parents, where one of them opts to convert, must be raised in the common religion at the time of marriage.
The religious conversion issue came to the Cabinet’s attention on April 15 involving a specific case.
Indra Ghandhi had sought the help of the Hindu Sangam branch in Ipoh after her husband K. Patma­na­than, now Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, converted their three children without their presence and without informing her.