Opposition MPs slam Najib for asking two-thirds majority to ban unilateral conversion

PETALING JAYA: Opposition MPs slammed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for asking the women to give Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority in order to ban unilateral conversion.
DAP's veteran parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang (pix) said it is very "irresponsible" and "morally reprehensible" of the PM to do that.
Criticising the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) dialogue sessions as irrelevant and meaningless, the Gelang Patah MP said it is clear that these TN50 dialogue sessions are just pre-election gimmickry by the BN government.
"This is because BN's 134 MPs, together with the committed support of 36 MPs from DAP, Najib would have more than two-thirds majority support in Parliament for any such constitutional amendment.
"Although it is the DAP's contention that a simple legislative enactment will be adequate for the purpose of stopping unilateral conversion with all the sufferings and heart-burns it entailed.
"This is without taking into account the support from PKR and Amanah MPs - although PAS with 14 MPs have declared its opposition," he said in a statement today.
Similarly Pakatan Harapan Wanita secretary Teo Nie Ching slammed Najib stating that he is an "untrustworthy PM".
"If constitutionality of the proposed Section 88A is really the issue, then why did the government not realise it earlier?
"Were the Cabinet and Attorney-General sleeping while on duty and failing the rakyat?" the Kulai MP said in a statement today.
Teo said the Opposition MPs had in the last Parliament sitting declared openly their willingness to end the unilateral conversion issue.
"So what is the reason that Najib could not table the amendment to amend the Federal Constitution?" she said.
The Clause 88A, which was removed from the marriage reform law amendments provides for the religion of a child to remain status quo when one parent converts to Islam.
However it was removed because it is said to violate Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution and to make any amendments to it, the government needs a two-thirds majority.