Malaysian Christians Concerned as Non-Muslims Directed to Islamic Court

|PIC1|The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) has expressed its concern over the decision of the Court of Appeal, which told non-Muslim R. Subashini to seek recourse at the Syariah Court.

Subashini is attempting to stop her Muslim-convert husband, Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah, from dissolving their civil marriage at the Syariah court and converting their children to Islam without her permission.

In the majority decision by the panel of the Court of Appeal, Subashini was told to seek her appeal through the Syariah Court.

The members of the panel are Justices Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datuk Hasan Lah, who dismissed Subashini's appeal, and Justice Datuk Gopal Sri Ram who opposed the decision.

According to the Federal Constitution, the Syariah Court should have jurisdiction only over individuals who profess the religion of Islam [Schedule 9, List 11 (1)].

In a press statement, the federation stressed that the Federal Constitution, as the supreme law of Malaysia, should secure the rights of all non-Muslim citizens in seeking justice in civil courts.

Bishop Paul Tan, the Chairman of CFM concluded by urging all elected members of Parliament to defend the Constitution and safeguard the rights of non-Muslim citizens.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia, incorporating the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), and the Roman Catholics, was formed in 1986.