Malaysia Agency Rejects Prime Minister's Proposal On Conversions

In Malaysia, the government's Islamic Development Department must approve any administrative rule changes relating to Islam. Today's International Herald Tribune reports that the Department has rejected a proposal by the Prime Minister that would have required non-Muslims converting to Islam to notify their families in writing ahead of time. (See prior posting.) The proposed rule was intended to deal with the growing number of disputes over burial rights that have arisen when family members do not know of a supposed conversion. However the Islamic Development Department's director-general, Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, said it should be "left to the discretion of the person who wishes to embrace Islam to determine how and when it is appropriate to inform family members. ... The existing laws for conversion to Islam and related matters are sufficient." Parliament could still pass the Prime Minister's proposal over the Department's objections.