Child conversion: No stand yet from Pakatan Rakyat

Pakatan Rakyat has yet to come to a consensus on the issue of whether the consent of both parents is required to convert a child to Islam.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that leaders from PAS, DAP and PKR were holding meetings to discuss in detail about the controversial issue.

He said the coalition leaders were still studying the Administration of Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 thoroughly, and said that a final stand should be announced next week.

"I have been having initial discussions with [Pas president] Tok Guru Hadi Awang, PAS and Keadilan and [DAP secretary-general Lim] Guan Eng to try and get some sort of understanding before we give a public response,” Anwar said.

Anwar added the parties will also take in feedback from various civil society groups and NGOs, adding that Bersih 2.0 leader S Ambiga will also be meeting him soon in a series of discussions.

Asked if he personally agreed that only one parent was enough to convert a child or both parents’ consent was needed, Anwar cited a hadith (Prophetic traditions).

“What the Prophet said… there was a specific case where a child was converted to Islam with the father but the mother was Non-muslim. In that case the child was returned to the mother, but that is said an exception.”

Anwar said the matter must be discussed as he did not want a “rancorous” argument between groups of different religions.

The Administration of Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013, tabled for first reading in Dewan Rakyat last week, has come under intense scrutiny.

Various groups have called for Section 107(b), which talks about conversion by a single parent, to be withdrawn.

The groups – including several BN component parties, non-Muslim groups and the Bar Council—had argued that islamisation of children should have the consent of both parents.