KUALA LUMPUR: Family members claim that the Swedish authorities have still not allowed them to meet with the Malaysian couple being detained for allegedly hitting their children for not praying although they have been remanded for 32 days without trial.
The woman’s sister who did not want to be named, said since the former was detained last Dec 18, she and other relatives had tried to visit the couple in prison but were not allowed to do so.
She said the first hearing for the remand extension was on Jan 2, 2014 and the couple were kept in separate prisons.
“The remand was extended to Jan 16 and again for another two weeks,” she told Bernama when contacted yesterday.
Tourism Malaysia director in Sweden, Azizul Raheem Awalludin, and his wife, Shalwati Norshal, a teacher on unpaid leave, were detained last Dec 18 to facilitate the investigation after they allegedly hit the hand of one of their children for not praying.
The sister said she hoped the Swedish authorities would be considerate and allow them to visit the couple as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, another close family member who also did not want to be identified, said in order for them to meet the children, an application had first to be made through the children’s lawyer in Sweden.
“We have already applied to the lawyer there. The Swedish authorities have appointed a lawyer for Azizul, another for Shalwati and another for the children.
“This is because in Sweden, there are two courts – a criminal court and an administrative court. The children are under the administrative court. If we want to meet them, we have to get permission from the Swedish social service,” he said.
Earlier, Bernama reported that the Swedish authorities had allowed family representatives to meet the four children. However, the relative said the meeting would only happen after the investigation into the case was completed.
“The investigation is still on, so we are not allowed to meet them yet. They say as long as the investigation is on-going, we cannot meet the children. That is the instruction of the Swedish authorities,” the relative said.
On the plea by the children that they be placed with a Malay Muslim family from Malaysia, he said they had not yet received the date for the trial on the custody of the children.
“The Swedish cannot just send the children away. They have to take the case to the administrative court which will to decide on the family to which the children will be sent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysians expressed their sympathy and support for the couple through the social media community Twitterjaya and cyber discussion groups called hashtag #SwedenLetThemGo and #BringThemBack on Sunday.
One, @klubbkiddkl said: “There is no need to talk of discrimination or religion. #SwedenLetThemGo is about getting back our family, our Malaysians TOGETHER! Respect laws of other nations and how they run it. We just want Azizul and Shalwati to be reunited with their four children.”
Other comments include from @KhairulARahmat: “If Sweden really upholds human rights, it should reunite the family of Azizul Raheem Awaludin.”
Gerakan Youth chief, Tan Keng Liang said: “Agree we should respect Sweden’s law. But sometimes, Swedish should learn humanity. Allow the kids to go back to Malaysia.”— Bernama