ID :
47125
Mon, 02/23/2009 - 17:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/47125
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M'SIA: NO PLAN TO AMEND ARTICLE 11(1)
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The Lower House of Parliament was told Monday that the Federal Court's decision in the case involving Azlina Jailani or Lina Joy showed that a Muslim cannot renounce Islam at will.
As such, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul
Aziz said the government had no plan to amend Article 11(1) of the Federal
Constitution in the wake of the court's decision.
He said that if the article was amended to incorporate provision that would
allow individuals the freedom to change their religions, it could create chaos
and jeopardise the position of Islam as the official religion in the country.
"The religious freedom as provided for under Article 11(1) of the Federal
Constitution cannot be interpreted too widely to the extent of granting Muslims
the freedom to choose and change their religion at will.
"If a Muslims wants to renounce Islam, the person should obtain an order or
declaration from the Syariah Court," he said in reply to Zulkifli Noordin, an
opposition MP during question time Monday.
Zulkifli wanted to know whether the government had any plan to amend Article
11(1) of the Federal Constitution to incorporate the right to change religion.
Mohamad Nazri said the National Registration Department's action in Lina
Joy's case cannot be regarded violating the Federal Constitution.
Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution stipulated that state law and
federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or
belief among Muslims, he said.
He said that at the moment, 10 states had their own enactments to control
and restrict propagation of other religions among Muslims.
The states are Terengganu, Kelantan , Selangor, Perak, Melaka, Kedah,
Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Perlis.
The Federal Court in May 2007 dismissed an appeal by Azalina, who claimed to
have renounced Islam to embrace Christianity 17 years earlier, to have the word
"Islam" removed from her identity card.
The court ruled that Azalina, who had taken the name Lina Joy, had to obtain
a certificate of apostasy from the Syariah Court before the National
Registration Department could drop the word "Islam" from her identity card.
-- BERNAMA
As such, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul
Aziz said the government had no plan to amend Article 11(1) of the Federal
Constitution in the wake of the court's decision.
He said that if the article was amended to incorporate provision that would
allow individuals the freedom to change their religions, it could create chaos
and jeopardise the position of Islam as the official religion in the country.
"The religious freedom as provided for under Article 11(1) of the Federal
Constitution cannot be interpreted too widely to the extent of granting Muslims
the freedom to choose and change their religion at will.
"If a Muslims wants to renounce Islam, the person should obtain an order or
declaration from the Syariah Court," he said in reply to Zulkifli Noordin, an
opposition MP during question time Monday.
Zulkifli wanted to know whether the government had any plan to amend Article
11(1) of the Federal Constitution to incorporate the right to change religion.
Mohamad Nazri said the National Registration Department's action in Lina
Joy's case cannot be regarded violating the Federal Constitution.
Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution stipulated that state law and
federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or
belief among Muslims, he said.
He said that at the moment, 10 states had their own enactments to control
and restrict propagation of other religions among Muslims.
The states are Terengganu, Kelantan , Selangor, Perak, Melaka, Kedah,
Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Perlis.
The Federal Court in May 2007 dismissed an appeal by Azalina, who claimed to
have renounced Islam to embrace Christianity 17 years earlier, to have the word
"Islam" removed from her identity card.
The court ruled that Azalina, who had taken the name Lina Joy, had to obtain
a certificate of apostasy from the Syariah Court before the National
Registration Department could drop the word "Islam" from her identity card.
-- BERNAMA
