PETALING JAYA, Dec 29 — Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has urged the police and the government to carry out their duties professionally in M. Indira Gandhi’s child custody case, warning against politicising the matter or framing it along racial or religious lines.

Speaking at a press conference today, LFL co-founder Latheefa Koya said it has been nearly a decade since the Federal Court issued a final ruling in Indira’s favour, yet she has still not been reunited with her daughter Prasana Diksa.

“We demand that the police and the government carry out their duties professionally. We do not want this case to be politicised or exploited to stir racial or religious sentiment.

“All we want is for Indira Gandhi to be reunited with her own child,” she told reporters.

Latheefa said Indira has spent years campaigning, holding press conferences, and meeting successive Inspectors-General of Police, but has repeatedly been met with assurances that efforts were ongoing, without tangible results.

Rejecting claims that the authorities were unable to trace Prasana and her father, Latheefa said the case did not involve armed criminals or complex criminal networks.

“This is a father and a child. The police are capable of tracking terrorists and major criminals.

“It is not credible to suggest they are unable to locate a child and her father,” she said.

Latheefa added that it was unclear whether Indira’s ex husband, Pathmanathan Krishnan, now known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah after converting to Islam, is in Malaysia or abroad.

She said despite clear court orders, Indira has yet to see her daughter, and no authority has ensured that the child is returned to her.

Also speaking at the press conference, Indira emphasised that her sole desire is to be reunited with her child, stressing that the matter is not about religion or race.

“I have always hoped that one day Prasana would return, which is why I have continually urged the public to help find her. I do not care about her religion and want her to make her own choice, and if she wishes to follow Islam, that is her decision.

“As her mother, all I want is to see her again, and I will continue my efforts until that happens,” she added.

In 2009, Muhammad Riduan unilaterally converted his three children to Islam without Indira’s consent and sought custody of them through the Shariah Court.

However, in 2018, the Federal Court declared the unilateral conversions null and void.

In 2010, the civil High Court in Ipoh had already granted Indira full custody of all three children.

In May 2014, the civil High Court in Ipoh issued a committal order for Muhammad Riduan’s arrest for contempt of court due to his failure to return Prasana to Indira, alongside a recovery order directing the police to locate the child.

Later, in September 2014, Indira obtained a mandamus order from the High Court compelling the Inspector-General of Police to enforce these court orders.

Although the Court of Appeal initially dismissed the mandamus order, the Federal Court in April 2016 reinstated it, mandating Muhammad Riduan’s arrest.

Muhammad Riduan has been wanted under an arrest warrant for over 15 years after absconding with Prasana in 2009, when she was only 11 months old.

The High Court in Ipoh has since 2021 been monitoring the police’s efforts to find and arrest Indira’s ex-husband, and on November 21 ordered the police to widen the search for him to the entire country and to liaise with the Immigration Department to block him from leaving Malaysia.

The next case management at the High Court in Ipoh is scheduled on February 27 next year.