Muslim convert allowed to renounce Islam
Monday, 16 March 2009 • Kategori: Berita Semasa, English News, Hak Asasi, Kedah, Kelantan, Mahkamah, Nasional, Parlimen, Perak, Politik, Pulau Pinang, Selangor & PutrajayaBy SK English Team
The Penang Syariah Appeals Court has upheld a ruling by the state Syariah High Court allowing an ethnic Chinese woman, Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah @ Tan Ean Huang, to formally renounce Islam.
The rare ruling was handed down by a three-member bench led by Chief Judge Ibrahim Lembut.
“It is clear from the evidence that she converted to Islam just for the sake of marrying an Iranian man,” Ibrahim said.
“She has never followed any aspect of the Islamic teachings and has been living a non-Muslim lifestyle right from the day of her conversion. This shows the conversion itself is doubtful.”
In May last year, the Syariah High Court had declared that Siti Fatimah was no longer a Muslim and ordered the Penang Islamic Religious Council to revoke her registration certificate that stated her status as a Muslim. The council however refused to do so and filed an appeal, leading to today’s decision.
But Ean Huang’s application to have the word Islam on her identity card erased was turned down by Ibrahim, who ruled that his court had no jurisdiction on the matter. He asked her to deal with the National Registration Department personally on the matter.
The country’s best known Christian convert, Lina Joy, lost a battle two years ago to have the word “Islam” removed from her identity card.
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