MIC slams Perlis govt over child conversion law

PETALING JAYA: MIC has criticised the Perlis state government's move to ammend their enactment to allow for unilateral conversion of a non-Muslim child to Islam by a newly converted Muslim parent without the consent of the other parent.
Party president Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said this particular issue has been the central disagreement in numerous cases and the move was a major step away from religious harmony in this country.
"While the federal cabinet has been trying to find a permanent solution to an issue which has been identified as a major thorn in inter-religious relationship in this country, this act by a Barisan Nasional government is a major step backwards to religious harmony in this country.
"It is going to cause greater disunity among the people of Malaysia," Subramaniam said in a media statement.
Prior to the amendment, the Perlis Islamic Enactment required the consent of the both the father and mother for the conversion of a child and gave equal rights to both parents to determine the religion of a child under the age of 18.
Subramaniam said now that right has been unilaterally and irrevocably removed by the Perlis state government.
"The Perlis state government has now opened the door for breast feeding infants to be snatched from their mothers and be rushed to the religious department for conversion and be deprived of the mother's love and attention .
"MIC considers such acts to be against the fundamental rights of the child. Every child has a right to their mother's love as well as to the mother's milk.
"Why is the Perlis state government digging a grave to this and denying the child the love of both parents?" he questioned.