Malaysian Court Rules On Jurisdiction To Decide Validity of Conversion

In Malaysia yesterday, an appeals court held that civil courts have jurisdiction to hear a case brought by a woman who is challenging the validity of her conversion to Islam as a child.  Bernama reports that the decision under appeal (originally handed down by the Penang High Court) had held that only Syariah courts have jurisdiction. Plaintiff Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah claims that she was born into a Hindu family that placed her in an orphanage at age 5. She says that when she was 7, a Muslim Welfare Organization official took her to a Kadi court and ordered her to recite an affirmation of Muslim faith and a rejection of Hinduism. She says she did not understand the meaning of what she was doing, and in any event had no choice in the matter. Defendants on the other hand claim that Siti converted along with her parents and siblings when Siti was only 1 year old. Siti is seeking a court declaration that she was wrongfully required to convert, and is asking the court to order the National Registration Department to change her Muslim name back to her original Hindu name. She also wants the word "Islam" omitted from her identity card.