Malaysian religious law splits wife and ... - Thorn Tree travel forum

Malaysian religious law splits wife and children

Replies: 80 - Last Post: 07-Jun-2007 01:40 Last Post By: callippo

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Posted
05-May-2007 02:04
by: honkytonky

Posts: 156
Registered: 28/12/06

Malaysian religious law splits wife and children

A Muslim woman forcibly separated from her Hindu husband by Malaysia's Islamic authorities after 21 years of happy marriage wept inconsolably yesterday after a judge endorsed her decision to hand custody of six of her seven children to her former spouse.

In an unprecedented move for Malaysia - where Islamic religious laws are strictly enforced - the children, aged four to 14, will be raised as Hindus despite being born to a Muslim mother. Last month Selangor state's Islamic authorities took Raimah Bibi Noordin, 39, and her children away for "rehabilitation" and religious counselling after belatedly declaring that her marriage was illegal.

The couple cannot live together because the husband did not convert to Islam as required by law for their marriage to be legal. In a country where 60% of the population is Muslim, the law also stipulates that the children must be brought up to observe Islam. Anyone born into a Muslim family cannot legally convert.
But Mrs Raimah Bibi's husband, Marimuthu Periasamy, 43, applied for custody of the ethnic Indian couple's children after they and his wife were removed to a Malay Muslim village. He said he feared his children would be brainwashed.

In yesterday's emotional high court hearing west of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, Mrs Raimah Bibi, who wore traditional floor-length Malay garb with a Muslim headscarf, agreed to give up her children voluntarily to end the standoff. "I agree to hand over the custody of my children to my husband to be raised as Hindus," she said, before bursting into tears.

The couple were married according to Hindu traditions and brought up their children in the Hindu faith.

Mr Marimuthu claimed his wife had been adopted by an ethnic Indian Muslim family but that she was a practising Hindu and her old identity card categorised her as an Indian Hindu. But when she applied for a new identity card this year, the government listed her as a Muslim, he said.

However, an affidavit read to the court earlier Mrs Raimah Bibi contradicted her husband's testimony. "I have had discussions with my husband ... with regard to the predicament facing us," it said. "And I state that I was born a Muslim and wish to continue professing the Islamic faith."

A Malaysian government legal adviser, Zauyah Be Loth Khan, said that Selangor's Islamic affairs department had raised no objections to the children being raised as Hindus, adding that Mrs Raimah Bibi would have the right to visit at any time .

Despite the eventual outcome, the case highlights growing disquiet about the legal rights of non-Muslims in Malaysia, even though religious freedom is enshrined under the constitution.

Lim Kit Siang, an opposition leader, said. "For this to happen to a couple that has lived together for 21 years as a result of a religious conflict is not good for our international image."

Posted
05-May-2007 03:25
by: klaush

Posts: 4,389
Registered: 14/04/02

1

haha, religious freedom in the constitution my ass.

Malaysia is the most backwards shithole in Asia regarding their laws.

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Posted
05-May-2007 05:09
by: sirenna

Posts: 1,353
Registered: 05/11/03

2

What a disgusting state of affairs. Do these people not possess the tiniest scrap of humanity, to split a loving family in this way?

He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.

Posted
05-May-2007 05:42
by: whymustvisitmalaysia

Posts: 280
Registered: 28/12/06

3

Quote
Malaysia is the most backwards shithole in Asia regarding their laws

what ever it is, we Malaysian are still manage to live together harmony and peacefully...

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Posted
05-May-2007 05:55
by: sirenna

Posts: 1,353
Registered: 05/11/03

4

Did they harmoniously and peacefully separate that poor woman from her kids? Islamic law makes me sick at times.

He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.

Posted
05-May-2007 06:24
by: octa8

Posts: 1,324
Registered: 01/01/06

5

hahaha, this could be another lengthy discussion...

Posted
05-May-2007 09:22
by: Hiblet

Posts: 6
Registered: 31/10/06

6

If there were no religions in the world we would all be a lot better off as there would be nothing to fight each other for and the whole world would be a better place.

No bloody chance of that of course and I am sick to death of all these fanatics ramming their stupid archaic views down our throats.

Here in UK we get all sorts come in to scrounge off us then have the cheek to tell us how to run the country and insist on keeping their own silly laws.

Posted
05-May-2007 15:33
by: exiledgooner

Posts: 947
Registered: 15/01/02

7

islam does seem to have a fear of people leavin the faith so they make it illegal

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Posted
05-May-2007 19:17
by: sandysea

Posts: 412
Registered: 06/03/03

8

It appears they were never legally married according to the Daily Express on Saturday 5th. Therefore the article above is inaccurate and unnecessarily divisive.

5pm is always knock off time: it must be 5pm somewhere in the world right now!!

Posted
05-May-2007 22:29
by: RedApe

Posts: 749
Registered: 02/02/01

9

Sandysea~
They were never legally married because they could not be legally married. The law requires that one partner must convert when the other partner is Muslim. The man didn't convert so the marriage was annulled.

The woman, under shari'a law, cannot convert from Islam. However, the Malaysian Constitution claims to allow freedom of religion and conscience, but judges seem to be ignoring their own Constitution.

Posted
05-May-2007 23:45
by: Laszlo

Posts: 6,034
Registered: 11/03/01

10

Malaysia truuuuuulyyyy Aaaasiaaaaa.... in more ways than the tourism propaganda likes to have us believe.

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Posted
06-May-2007 01:51
by: aTallMan

Posts: 2,294
Registered: 15/12/04

11

Hiblet is the prefect example of why Islam in the west is hated. He/she has read a post on a travel sight from an undisclosed source and with out question and understanding of the facts takes it as true and is actually anrgy enough to reply.
All you have to mention these days is Islam and the responce is amazing at showing the true bigot.

All you know of Islam is what you have read or seen on Western press. It is little wonder you don't have a neutral approach?

If religion was not mentioned in this report surely you would think this was poor journalism and question it, but no, you took the hook line and sinker. You are a sheep.

Posted
06-May-2007 02:18
by: Laszlo

Posts: 6,034
Registered: 11/03/01

12

Source (The Guardian)

Posted
06-May-2007 03:06
by: Mauricio

Posts: 1,887
Registered: 13/04/00

13

...no, I actually know a bit or two about Islam, from having lived among Muslims in the Middle East and in Indonesia. I am still appalled by this story and the Muslim practice that underlies it. There is no compulsion in religion. So says the Koran at least.

...and that's probably "Raimah BINTI Noordin", rather than "Raimah Bibi Noordin".

Posted
06-May-2007 03:06
by: octa8

Posts: 1,324
Registered: 01/01/06

14

So Malaysia is not as liberal as Indonesia?

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