Malaysia Hindu: Hindu mother wins in Malaysia!
The Malaysian court, while giving a historic verdict, said that conversion of children without the consent of parents is unconstitutional. This case is related to a Hindu woman named Loh Siu Hong. She had challenged the conversion of her two children to islam in the court, which was done without her consent. The court also rejected the review petition, which demanded that the conversion of two children to islam be declared legal.
The case related to conversion started with a petition filed by Loh Siu Hong in 2016, in which she challenged the custody and conversion of her three children. This conversion was done by her ex-husband at the time when they were fighting a case for the custody of the children. Loh said that she was not given any information about the conversion to Islam. This conversion took place without the wishes or consent of the children.
Legal battle continued for years
In 2022, the verdict was given against Loh, but she did not give up and took the case to the federal court again. In 2024, the Federal court gave an important verdict declaring the conversion invalid and said that conversion without the consent of the parents is unconstitutional and will promote the trend of unilateral conversion.
What is Rule 137 under which the review was filed?
The state of Perlis filed a review petition against the decision, which is done under Rule 137 of Malaysian law. This is a rare process, which allows the court to reconsider its own decision, especially when there is a possibility of abuse or injustice of the judicial process.
Social and cultural significance
This decision will have a profound impact not only from a legal, but also from a cultural and religious point of view. It is being considered a big support for religious minorities in Malaysia, especially Hindus and other non-Muslim communities. The ruling also makes it clear that it is still possible to protect personal liberty and family rights within Malaysia's constitutional framework, provided it is fought for legally.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel