I welcome the decision made by the Cabinet that civil courts will be involved in disputes regarding marriage in the event where one of spouse convert to Islam.
I have said it in my MCA Party Election manifesto that MCA’s stand is that the law must be reformed to ensure that when an individual embraces Islam, the convert’s spouse (or ex-spouse), children and other family members’ rights and entitlements under civil laws remain unchanged. Regardless of such conversion, all issues arising out of the marriage must be settled according to civil law and not state Islamic law enactments, since the marriage was solemnized or registered under civil law. Furthermore, legislation must be enacted to specify that only the civil courts have jurisdiction to hear any matter regarding the divorce.
The Cabinet also made another important milestone decision recently that in the event of one spouse converting to Islam, the children will follow the religion of the parents during the time of their marriage. The children can then decide on their own religion at the age of 18. Before this recent Cabinet decision, the children are invariably converted to Islam if one of the spouse embraces Islam.
Often in the past, when one of the spouse convert to Islam, the other spouse’s children will be in a dilemma as most of the time, they will be dragged into converting into Islam without their consent and knowledge. Therefore, the decision by the Cabinet should be welcomed by all Malaysians. I am sure it will also prevent more court cases and issues involving one of the spouse seeking legal redress about their children’s religious status.
While it is any person’s right to profess the religion of his/her choice, it is not right to use religion as a tool to escape from responsibilities. Here, I would like to quote what Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Syed Nazri has said, “Religion should not be used as a tool to escape responsibilities and conversion is not grounds for automatic dissolution of a marriage”.
Hence, it is hoped that with the decision of the Cabinet, there will be less dispute regarding the children’s religion when one of the spouses convert to Islam and divorce should follow the civil law. It is indeed a laudable act by the government.
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文告
马华署理总会长拿督斯里蔡细历医生欢迎内阁针对改教课题的最新指令，但他认为修改法令赋予这项决定法定地位，才能一劳永逸解决有关争议。
他说，议决配偶婚后皈依回教不能为孩子改教的决定很正确，但政府应该将它纳入现有的法令，规定欲改教人士遵从，以保障改教人士家庭成员的其他民事权益。
他指出，马华坚持政府必须适度修正现有的法律，以确保当一个人皈依回教后，其配偶（或前配偶）、子女及其他家庭成员享有的原有权益及民事法律保障的权利维持不变。
“所有因为改信宗教引起的争议都应依据民事法律來处理而非回教法，因为其婚姻是在民事法律下注册的。此外，法律也要明确指定只有民事法庭才有权限审理这些事务。”
他今日在文告中表达他对内阁新决定的看法。蔡细历在去年角逐马华署理总会长职时，也曾在他的竞选宣言中这么声明。
此外，他指出，由于各州回教理事会执行回教法的程度各异，中央政府必须与州回教理事会沟通和协调，以确保增修后的相关法令，没有互相抵触。
他认为，内阁的决定标志我国对改信回教所衍生的争议和矛盾处理手法中一个重要的里程碑。
“内阁议决将由民事法庭来聆审涉及改信回教的婚姻案件，这是一项值得称道的决定。因为在此之前，当其中一配偶皈依回教，他们的孩子即进退维谷，而且通常在不知情或未得其同意下被带往皈依回教。因此，内阁的新决定应该受到全国人民欢迎。”
“如今，根据内阁新决定，就算父母改教子女将遵照父母结婚时的宗教信仰直到年满18岁后，再自行决定宗教信仰。”
他深信，这项决定能防止发生更多配偶改教所衍生的诉讼案和争论，尤其是涉及孩子们的宗教和身份危机问题。
