JAIPP claims Muslim convert's body during Buddhist funeral

The Penang Islamic Religious Department (JAIPP) cut short a Buddhist funeral ceremony Sunday afternoon and claimed the body which they said to be a Muslim convert's.

The deceased, known as Teoh Cheng Cheng, 38, had converted to Islam 17 years ago and registered her Muslim name as Nora Teoh Abdullah.

The family of the deceased were stunned upon seeing the arrival of the religious authority just before the burial as they were not aware that the deceased had converted.

According to a report by The Malaysian Insider, the deceased's mother, Tan Ma Suan questioned the move, asking why JAIPP took a long time to act if it was true that her daughter had converted.

Teoh reportedly died after falling from an apartment on Saturday.

The JAIPP officers arrived at Lebuh MaCallum around 1.20pm, where the funeral was taking place. The police had arrived about 20 minutes earlier to inform the family to stop the burial.

Both parties then negotiated with the deceased's next-of-kins including furnishing evidence and records to prove that Teoh was a Muslim convert.

Teoh's family then allowed JAIPP officers to take away the coffin.

The coffin was then transferred into a van around 3.50pm. Teoh's body was subsequently brought to the Penang Hospital mortuary for further investigation.

Teoh's family and relatives told reporters that they would file the matter in court.

JAIPP director Datuk Sazali Hussein said he would obtain a Syariah court order to bury Teoh's body in accordance with Islamic rites.