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The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) is disturbed and saddened by the decision of the Federal Court in the Lina Joy’s case, where the Court has confirmed the National Registration Department’s right to insist on a certificate from the Syariah Court that she has apostatized, prior to registering her conversion in the identity card.

We reiterate that the NRD’s insistence on such a certificate being produced has curtailed the fundamental right of an individual to profess and express his or her religion as provided for in Article 11. Read more »

The Catholic Lawyers of the Diocese of Penang wish to express our grave concern over the recent increase in cases where non-Muslims have been required to seek recourse in the Syariah Courts when their spouses convert and become Muslims after marriage.

We are of the view that this is unconstitutional.

Whether or not the Syariah Court will be fair and just to a non-Muslim is NOT the issue. Read more »

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism on behalf of our respective religious communities is disappointed and feel aggrieved by the recent majority decision of the Court of Appeal on the Shubashini case which in effect requires the non-Muslim party to seek recourse through the Syariah Courts.

The fact that the wife has since been granted a temporary respite by the Court does not detract from the seriousness of the original decision. Read more »

A Malaysian court on Friday temporarily forbade an ethnic Indian Muslim from converting his 1-year-old son to Islam, giving some respite to the man's Hindu wife who is trying to block him from changing their son's religion, media reports said.

The case has highlighted sensitive issues of race and religion among Malaysia's non-Muslim ethnic minorities, who, rights groups say, are facing an erosion of their rights. Read more »

The Catholic Lawyers’ Society views with grave concern the implications of the majority decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Saravanan a/l Thangathoray vs. Subashini a/p Rajasingam which denied the non-muslim wife her right to seek legal redress in regards to her civil marriage and the conversion of her minor son to Islam by her (recently converted) muslim husband.

Malaysia being a multi religious country has clear and distinct laws governing muslims and non muslims particularly pertaining to family matters and it is disheartening when the very institution which is in place to govern and protect the interest of all persons in accordance with the Federal Constitution and particularly non muslims based on Civil Laws refused to adjudicate when an aggrieved non-muslim wife sought redress in respect of her marriage and the religious status of her son. Read more »

We are deeply disappointed and feel aggrieved by the recent majority decision of the Court of Appeal that the non-Muslim wife had to seek recourse through the Syariah Courts.

This is a form of religious oppression and an affront to human dignity.

As the Federal Constitution is the supreme law of the country, a person of one religion should not be made subject to laws of and governance by another religion. Read more »

In the wake of the majority of the Court of Appeal in the case of Saravanan A/L Thangathony v. Subashini A/P Rajasingam [Rayuan Sivil No.W-02-955-2006] we, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, are greatly disappointed the once again, the non–converting non-Muslim wife of a convert to Islam has failed to get relief from our Civil Courts.

We would respectfully remind members of the Judiciary that the Federal Court, Court of Appeal and the High Courts in Malaysia and in Sabah and Sarawak are all civil courts and judges of those courts take an oath of office to uphold the Federal Constitution, which guarantees all persons, including non-Muslims, the fundamental liberty of professing and practising their faiths in peace and harmony. Read more »

The Christian Federation of Malaysia views with great concern the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Subashini v. Saravanan, where she, although a non-Muslim, was urged to submit to the jurisdiction of the Syariah courts to seek recourse from the break-up of her family, when her husband converted to Islam.

It is troubling to note, and indeed of great concern to all Malaysians, that what is clearly stated in the Federal Constitution, that the Syariah courts shall have jurisdiction only over persons professing the religion of Islam [Schedule 9, List 11(1)], is now being extended, by the court decision, to include non-Muslims. Read more »

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed new members to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The Vatican press office made the announcement on March 8.

Archbishop Murphy Pakiam together with 18 other members has been appointed to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID).

The PCID was instituted on Pentecost Sunday, 1964, by Pope Paul VI. It is the central office of the Catholic Church for the promotion of interreligious dialogue in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, in particular the declaration Nostra Aetate. Read more »

A Court of Appeal today dismissed a non-Muslim spouse's appeal to prevent her husband from dissolving their marriage and from converting their children to Islam without her permission, saying her recourse was through the Syariah Appeal Court.

In a majority decision, Justices Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datuk Hasan Lah dismissed R.Subshini's appeal and allowed her husband, T. Saravanan's appeal.

Third panel member Justice Datuk Gopal Sri Ram dissented. Read more »