Tackle religious conversions properly: Fatimah

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MIRI: The Miri Christian community saw red over a Form One student from SMK Lutong allegedly being coerced into converting to Islam but further investigation revealed that the situation was made up of half-truths and misunderstandings.

While Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah verified that the conversion had not been made official, the student had informed her that it was she who had expressed her intention to convert with a Muslim teacher who later referred her to the religious teacher.

Fatimah dismissed that the girl had been duped into conversion but expressed her disappointment during a press conference at SMK Lutong today that the teachers involved had acted against the law.

“Whatever the circumstances, for a child aged below 18 years old they are still under the responsibility of their parents or relatives as legal guardian.

“Thus, the act of giving ‘telekung’ (Muslim prayer cloth) is highly deemed as sensitive. They must refer to the parents’ first, instead of making the decision on their own,” she said.

In fact, she added, for teachers who want to offer religious classes, they must refer to the school’s principal.

“For Muslim students, there are religious classes that offer appropriate teachings for them, and Moral Education classes for non-Muslims. Whatever the teachers’ intention was, religious issues are always very, very sensitive,” she insisted that it was wrong under the law as the student was a minor and consent from her parents was not obtained.

According to Fatimah, the student told her that she personally met the teacher the Thursday before the last school holidays, voicing her intention to convert, confirming it when asked again the following day by the ustazah whether she was serious.

“Even the grandfather whom she was staying with agreed but the only mistake was the parents’ consent was not sought as she was a minor,” she said after flying in to Miri to tackle the hot issue.

The minister had earlier on brought all the interested parties together at the school conference room and personally asked the girl on the actual scenario apart from the hearing of church representatives, religious teachers involved and her parents.

Asked on the girl’s religious status, Fatimah said: “The conversion did not materialise as it did not reach the Islamic Affairs Department.”

The two school teachers and some men allegedly carried out a conversion ceremony at a house in Kuala Baram, giving her a Muslim name and RM 250 for prayer clothing. She was told that she would be taken to the Islamic Affairs Department on March 16 to formalise the conversion.

She lodged a police report at Lutong Police Station Wednesday night (March 25), saying that she did not want to be harassed by the teachers as it was affecting her concentration in school. The investigation is underway.

Calling on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to scrutinise allegedly inflammatory postings on the Miri Community page, Fatimah slammed those spreading untruths in social media and making accusations including the teachers having a long list of potential converts among the students.

“There was no such intention or list,” she said.

Fatimah said the incident at SMK Lutong was a lesson for religious conversions to be tackled properly with tact and sensitivity where the prevailing peace and harmony in the state must be safeguarded.

The minister said this was of paramount importance as spelled out by the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who is adamant in keeping extremist and religious bigots at bay.

She conceded that any conversion of a minor must have the consent of parents as spelt out by the Children’s Protection Act.

“We must avoid misunderstandings and not allow it to spread. If there is a misunderstanding, then, let’s sit down together and clear it,” she added.

On the police report lodged by the girl, she said it was up to the authorities to conduct the investigation and act accordingly but in her opinion, it was a misunderstanding.

Also present were the school principal Marcus Hugo and two teachers involved in the conversion exercise.