Muslim Groups Upset With Religious Conversion Ruling

source: www.malaysiainsider.com

Kuala Lumpur, April 29 — Pembela, a coalition of Muslim NGOs, today condemned the cabinet’s recent decision on religious conversion of children, calling it unconstitutional and irrational. The Muslim NGO’s criticism of the decision could prove tricky for Datuk Seri Najib Razak as he attempts to balance the interest of Muslim and non-Muslim groups. The cabinet recently decided that children should be raised in the faith of their parents while they were married even if one spouse becomes a Muslim.

“We totally disagree because of the way they made the statement. Unless there are amendments to the constitution then the statement made is not law. “However, they have made it seem that when a minister says something then it is law, This is one of the issues which can bring doubts to some parties,” said Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia’s president Yusri Mohamad.

He told reporters that the decision made goes against Islamic laws and the constitution. “In article 12 section 4 in the constitution, the faith of a child who is not yet an adult is determined by the parents. The courts has interpreted that the parents has to right to decide regardless if they are the husband or wife,” Yusri added. Pembela believes the cabinet ruling will deny the parent who converts to Islam his or her right and responsibility over the future of the children. They feel that the decision is not fair to those who want to convert to Islam. The group also feels that the government was rushed into making a decision on the issue when it should have been conducted properly with collaboration of all parties. The group reiterated that this issue should not be sensationalized because it would not be healthy for the country.

“We should address it professionally with a cool head and objectively. We have procedures and processes in place. I would like to highlight that there has been a high level discussion organized by the attorney general”. The government had asked the attorney general to hold a series of discussion with religious experts and NGOs. “I would like to ask what has happened to those discussions? Why did the cabinet suddenly make a decision which actually is hard to accept by everybody. What was recommended by the cabinet is not sustainable,” he argued.Yusri urged all parties to consider the realities of the country and not have an attitude that will make the situation worse. He was disappointed that many Malaysians think that a non-Muslim would not be able to get a fair trial in a Shariah court. “This is not helpful and we will not be quiet if the Shariah court is given that image. The notion that a Shariah court will not give a fair trial to non-Muslims is a blatant and an unacceptable accusation,” he said.

Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) president Zaid Kamaruddin also added that the decision was one sided and pleased only a minority in the country.“The cabinet has not taken account the opinions of the majority. We also would like to complain that the decision was irrational. We understand the Muslim’s fuse is a bit long, that is why there are many who are still patient because they believe that the government can solve this issue”. “But in this context, we see that it going against Islam and we have yet to receive a reaction from the Cabinet after the incident has happened. This is not a solution to this problem,” Zaid said.

Kenyataan Akhbar

Kami pertubuhan-pertubuhan NGO Islam yang bergabung di bawah PEMBELA menyeru seluruh lapisan rakyat Malaysia agar bertenang dalam menghadapi kemelut berkenaan dengan isu agama yang tercetus kembali baru-baru ini susulan kes Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah dan Indira Ghandi.

Seruan ini berasaskan pada kebimbangan kami bahawa isu ini boleh memberi kesan langsung kepada keharmonian hubungan di antara kaum di negara ini. Perbicaraan ini masih dijalankan, baik di Mahkamah Syariah mahupun Sivil.

Justeru, PEMBELA berpandangan proses undang-undang perlu dibiarkan berjalan tanpa tekanan dari mana-mana pihak. Kami ingin merayu semua pihak yang berkenaan dan pihak yang mempunyai kepentingan supaya jangan mengambil kesempatan dan memperalatkan perbezaan yang timbul di antara mahkamah syariah dan mahkamah sivil.

Sehingga keharmonian undang-undang dapat dipersetujui, PEMBELA meminta semua pihak menghormati undang-undang syariah dan undang-undang sivil. PEMBELA tetap mematuhi ajaran Islam dan akan terus melaksanakan tugas dan tanggungjawab membela hak-hak orang Islam dan masyarakat Malaysia secara umumnya secara adil dan saksama.

PEMBELA sedang menjalankan kajian mendalam berkaitan konflik undang-undang syariah dan sivil dan bersedia mencari penyelesaian dengan mana-mana pihak.

Dalam menangani sebarang konflik membabitkan perundangan syariah dan sivil, PEMBELA menyarankan satu penyelesaian jangka panjang harus diusahakan agar ia mampu membawa kebaikan kepada semua pihak terbabit. Sebarang perbezaan pendapat harus disalurkan menerusi proses perbincangan ilmiah membabitkan pelbagai pihak agar semua perbezaan ini dapat diselesaikan serta tidak menjejaskan kestabilan Negara.

Kami juga menyeru agar umat Islam berterusan dalam bermunajat kepada Allah SWT dengan mengadakan solat hajat dan berdoa agar penyelesaian isu ini dapat dicapai dengan baik dan keharmonian Malaysia dapat ditingkatkan atas semangat persefahaman, muhibbah dan setiakawan di antara semua kaum.

(Pewaris Malaysia telah dijemput menyertai pertubuhan-pertubuhan lain seperti ABIM, JIM, MAKMA dan lain-lain untuk bersama-sama memberi kenyataan Akbhar di atas, Pewaris Malaysia juga ingin menyatakan bahawa kami sentiasa menyokong penuh usaha PEMBELA)

Suruhan merendah diri

Dan hendaklah engkau merendah diri kepada pengikut-pengikutmu dari orang-orang yang beriman. (asy-Syu'ara: 215 )

Seorang pemimpin yang hebat adalah pemimpin yang menjalankan tugas kepimpinannya berdasarkan nilai-nilai yang ditetapkan oleh syarak bagi menjamin kebahagiaan hidup di dunia dan di akhirat.

Seorang pemimpin dilarang berlaku zalim kepada rakyat bawahannya bahkan hendaklah sentiasa merendah diri dan melayan mereka dengan baik dan berlemah lembut.

Pemimpin yang zalim dan mengamalkan sikap kuku besi hanya akan menambah kebencian di kalangan rakyat jelata.

Apabila pemimpin merendah diri, mereka pasti dapat menawan hati para pengikut dan orang bawahannya. Dengan ini, tugas menyeru mereka ke arah kebaikan dan usaha-usaha bagi mengukuhkan keimanan menjadi semakin mudah.

Bagi orang-orang bukan Islam pula, mereka mudah tertarik dengan ciri kepimpinan yang ditonjolkan itu dan akhirnya mudah untuk patuh kepada arahan pemimpin mereka.
Dengan ini tali persaudaraan dan hubungan kemasyarakatan semakin kukuh. Seterusnya mewujudkan sebuah negara yang aman dan makmur.

Kesimpulan

Sifat merendah diri adalah amalan mulia dan patut diamalkan walaupun oleh mereka yang bergelar pemimpin.

Pemimpin yang baik hendaklah sentiasa merendah diri kepada rakyat bawahannya bukan bersikap sombong dan mementingkan diri sendiri. Dengan ini mereka akan disegani oleh rakyat kerana tertarik dengan penampilan pemimpin seperti ini.

Tahniah Perdana Menteri Ke Enam Malaysia

PEWARIS MALAYSIA ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi ucapan tahniah kepada Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak atas perlantikan sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke Enam.

Semoga beliau dipermudahkan oleh Allah segala urusannya pentadbirannya dan sentiasa menjaga kepentingan Agama Bangsa dan Tanahair Malaysia.