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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, September 27, 2006: The bishops of Malaysia have voiced concern about the increased Islamization of Malaysian society. On August 14, 2006, the Catholic bishops of Malaysia published a document in the weekly Catholic Herald entitled “The legal implications of conversions to Islam”. The bishops were attempting to educate Catholics against possible conversions to Islam as means to an end without fully realizing the consequences of this action. More and more, young Catholic men and women are falling in love with Muslims and in order to get married, they accept to become Muslims. Others become Muslim for the economic advantages this will bring. The bishops’ article is to educate readers of the gravity of such a choice, which has radical outcomes not only on the level of faith, but also on their legal and civil status. New converts would be subject to Sharia, making it difficult for them to go back on their decision. Although the federal constitution guarantees the individual the freedom to choose his own religion, Muslims – and especially Malay – are prohibited from doing so. In an interview, Dr. Leonard Teoh, a member of the Association of Catholic Lawyers says, “Article 11 of the Constitution states that each has the right to profess, practice and spread his own faith. So when a person declares that he is no longer a Muslim, he is no longer such, and this is a free choice. It is on this basis that we lawyers go to the Sharia court to affirm that a person is no longer Muslim and that the Islamic court no longer has any jurisdiction over him. Further, the law of the state says that Sharia must be applied only to those who profess the religion of Islam. In any case, even if punishments are not officially meted out to non-Muslims, serious problems are created in relations with Muslims. There is confusion in the law: if a Muslim decides not to profess Islam any longer, he does not know where to turn to register his decision to change religion or to leave Islam. The federal Court, citing art.121/1A will say it does not have the competence to rule on religious matters so it will send the person to the Sharia court. This court will tell people that, according to the state law, it has no power to pass judgment on those who are not Muslims, but only partly so.” To read the Catholic bishop’s letter click here.

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