M. Indira Gandhi case: "The world must know how a nation lost its soul" - Zaid Ibrahim

Former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today called on the public to start raising funds to make a film about the custody battle involving kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi.

“Let the arguments put forth by Indira and the decisions of the judges be documented and aired for the world to see. If Indira’s lawyers agree with this initiative, start the fund rolling. I am sure we can raise enough for a good film about love and wickedness. Let it be shown in New York and London,” he wrote in his blog today.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal in a 2-1 majority decision ruled that the validity of Indira’s three children's conversion by their Muslim convert father six years ago, could only be determined by the Syariah Court.

They children are now aged 18, 17 and seven.

Justice Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi, chairing a three-member bench that included Justices Datuk Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer and Datuk Dr Badariah Sahamid, held that matters relating to Islam, religious issues and whether a person is Muslim, fell exclusively under the Syariah Court.

Concurring with him was Justice Badariah while Justice Hamid Sultan dissented.

READ: Unable to pay legal fees, Muslim convert dad seeks fund

“Nothing is crueller to children than to deprive them of the love of their mothers,” Zaid wrote.

In his blog post, Zaid also raised the question of whether the same ruling would have been made, if the tables were turned.

“If Indira had been a Muslim mother, and the former husband did the unilateral conversion of the daughter to say Christianity, would the decision still be the same?” he said.

“I would like to appeal to all Malaysians who care about this case to start raising funds ; not to cover the legal costs of the appeal to the Federal Court, which will be futile, but to make a film about the tragedy suffered by Indira.”

The panel made the ruling yesterday, allowing appeals by the Perak Islamic Religious Department, the Government of Malaysia, the Education Ministry and the children's father, Muhd Riduan Abdullah, against the Ipoh Civil High Court decision to quash the certificates of conversion of the three children.

In 2009, the Ipoh Syariah High Court gave Muhd Riduan custody of his two boys and a daughter after he converted them to Islam in April 2009 when the children were aged 12 and 11 years, and 11 months.