JANUARY 4 — Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) is disappointed with the decision made by the Court of Appeal in Indira Gandhi’s case on December 31, 2015.
The issue of unilateral conversion and the circumstances surrounding such cases is often difficult to address and even more so difficult to remedy. Article 8 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides that everyone has the right to an effective remedy by a competent national tribunal. In cases of unilateral conversion, the Court of Appeal of Malaysia effectively divested themselves of such competency, leaving non-Muslims without a competent and suitable court to hear the matter. This clearly violates the fundamental rights held by Indira Gandhi.
Further, as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Government of Malaysia and all public institutions of the country are duty-bound to implement and enforce the principles enshrined in UNCRC. Any decisions by the Court should reflect the principles of UNCRC and place the best interests of the child as the top priority in the decision-making process. Read more
