KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Selangor Umno said today it will push for the amendment to the Islamic Religious Administration Enactment (State of Selangor) to allow unilateral child conversions to be tabled in the state legislative assembly sitting in November.
Malaysiakini quoted Selangor Umno chief Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan as saying that its five state lawmakers are ready to support Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari on the matter.
“If possible, we hope the Bill can be tabled in the upcoming sitting and freedom will be given to our assemblymen (to support it) because we have no problem supporting the mentri besar to ensure the Bill is passed,” he reportedly said, adding that there would be “deviant” parties who will object to the Bill.
Amirudin has said the Bill allowing for the unilateral conversion of minors could still be tabled at the next state legislative assembly sitting, despite conflicting views on the issue.
Tensions have built up within Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) as it was said there is a split among the ruling coalition’s state lawmakers over the proposed amendment which would allow the unilateral conversion of minors to Islam.
It is understood that Amirudin had planned to push through an amendment to a state enactment, which currently says that individuals below 18 must obtain the consent of both “mother and father” before converting to Islam.
The planned amendment will see a change of this wording to “mother or father”; meaning that one parent will get to decide the conversion of a minor.
Amirudin was handpicked by Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who was Selangor mentri besar from 2015 to 2018, to succeed him after PH took power following the 14th general election last May.
