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Dompok: Good start for inter-faith relations
April 12, 2008 (Source: Daily Express)
KOTA KINABALU : Minister in Prime Minister's
Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok described the
proposed rule requiring non-Muslims converting
to Islam to declare their new religious status
to their family as a good start for inter-faith
relations in the country.
He said the move should be speeded up to tackle
many problems that stemmed from the undeclared
conversion to Islam by non-Muslims, including on
marriage, as well as after the converts' death.
"It's a good start certainly. Why should you
convert to another religion and not tell your
wife? This is actually a proposed law that is
still being studied pertaining to the marriage
reform act which relates to religion," he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
was reported to have said that the Federal
Government will soon make it a requirement for
non-Muslims converting to Islam to declare their
new religious status to their family members.
Abdullah said the move was aimed at avoiding
problems when the converts die.
According Dompok those issues that affected many
parties including families, parents and children
should be discussed openly and he was convinced
that Malaysians were ready for such open
discussions.
"My own personal view is that if the marriage
starts with the civil law and if it goes to an
end, it should end at the civil court. If the
marriage starts at the Syariah Court, it should
also end at the Syariah Court.
"So marriage should end where it started," he
said.
In KANGAR, the Mufti of Perlis, Dr Mohd Asri
Zainul Abidin, hoped the proposal would not
inconvenience the individuals concerned.
He said the ruling should not be implemented
hastily but needed further discussions so that
it would not pose a burden to those concerned.
"I agree with the ruling but it needs further
discussion," the 37-year-old Mufti said.
Mohd Asri said the declaration of conversion to
Islam would not pose a problem but if they were
compelled to obtain family permission, this
would pose serious problems.
"I disagree totally if the proposed ruling
included a provision requiring them to obtain
family permission," he said.
He said if permission from the family was made a
requirement, it would mean that their plan to
embrace Islam would face an obstacle.
"Any adult has the right to embrace Islam and
need not seek permission from the family," he
said.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Ulama Association (PUM)
welcomed the proposal, saying that it proved
that Islam did not use force in the conversion
of non-Muslims to Islam.
PUM secretary-general Dr Roslan Mohamad said
Islam always honoured those who wished to
embrace the religion and had facilitated the
process of conversion.
"In Islam, we are asked to facilitate matters
instead of making it difficult," he said.
In IPOH, the Mufti of Perak, Datuk Seri
Harussani Zakaria wanted the government to carry
out a thorough study on the pros and cons of the
proposed ruling as he feared that it could pose
a burden to those who intended to embrace Islam.
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