This news reports below naturally bring mixed reactions and opinions from both Muslims and non-Muslims. I will display some of their discussions tomorrow.(Lily)
1.The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)
Syariah High Court lets Muslim convert renounce Islam and go back to Buddhism, 9 May 2008
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
PENANG: The Syariah High Court here allowed an application by Muslim convert Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, 39, to renounce Islam and revert to her original faith.
The decision by Perlis Syariah Court chief judge Othman Ibrahim, who presided over the case when he was based in Penang earlier, makes this the first of its kind in the country where a living Muslim convert is allowed to renounce Islam since the Syariah Court Civil Procedure (State of Penang) Enactment 2004 came into force on Jan 1, 2006.
“From the evidence, it is clear that the plaintiff had not practised the teachings of Islam and had maintained her Buddhist faith.
“Although this court views seriously such matters, this court has no choice but to give her the right to return to her original faith,” said Othman.
He granted Siti Fatimah a declaration that she was no longer a Muslim, and ordered the defendant, the state Islamic Religious Council (MAIPP), to cancel her certificate of conversion to Islam.
However, he did not grant her application to change the religious status on her identity card from Muslim to Buddhist, saying that it did not come under the court’s jurisdiction and she had to pursue the matter with the National Registration Department.
Siti Fatimah, whose Chinese name is Tan Ean Huang, filed the application in May 2006. In her affidavit, she said she converted to Islam in July 1998 for the sake of marrying an Iranian named Ferdoun Ashanian in 1999 but had not practised its teachings.
She said Ferdoun left her a few months after their marriage and she had no knowledge of his whereabouts.
Siti Fatimah, a hawker from Nibong Tebal, said she had maintained her Buddhist leanings and prayed to deities like Tua Pek Kong, Kuan Yin and Thi Kong.
Othman said that Ferdoun, as the person who brought Siti Fatimah into Islam, had failed to guide her in her new faith.
He also said he regretted that the council was not concerned about carrying out its duty involving the welfare of Muslim converts.
“The court regrets that the council did not take quick action to save the plaintiff’s faith,” said Othman.
He said the council should establish procedures to ensure proper supervision of new converts: “If this is not done, it is possible that in future there may be further cases of people coming to court to renounce Islam.”
In citing authorities, Othman said that this case had similarities to the Nyonya Tahir case in 2006 except that Siti Fatimah is still alive while the earlier case involved a person who had died.
He also said that the civil courts in the case of Lina Joy clearly stated that the jurisdiction came under the Syariah Court.
The council’s counsel Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz said the council would appeal within the 14-day period, adding that among the concerns was the status of Siti Fatimah’s marriage as her conversion did not dissolve the marriage.
Meanwhile, after leaving the court, Tan went to the Kuan Yin Temple in Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling here to offer thanksgiving prayers.
When pressmen approached her, Tan spoke in Mandarin and Teochew and said she had been waiting for this decision for such a long time.
2. New Straits Times Online (http://www.nst.com.my)
Syariah court allows convert to renounce Islam . 9 May 2008
By Sharanjit Singh
GEORGE TOWN: In a landmark decision, the Syariah High Court here allowed a Muslim convert to renounce Islam and return to her Buddhist faith. Syariah High Court judge Othman Ibrahim said the court had no choice but to declare Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, whose given name is Tan Ean Huang, no longer a Muslim as she had never practised the teachings of Islam.
He also ordered her conversion certificate to be annulled.
Othman said it was now up to Tan to apply to the National Registration Department to change the religious status on her identity card.
In his judgment, Othman criticised the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAIP) for failing to live up to its responsibilities to Muslims in the state.
He said the council's failure was among the causes leading to Tan not practising the faith.
His judgment detailed the meaning of murtad (apostate) and kafir (non-believer) and how Islam dealt with such issues.
Othman declared that the court had no choice but to allow Tan's application as she had produced undisputed evidence of never having followed Islamic teachings since she converted.
"We have heard how she converted for the sake of marrying an Iranian man.
"Witnesses have also testified how she continued to pray at Chinese temples and to various deities after her conversion," Othman said.
Tan has been fighting for almost two years to renounce Islam and revert to Buddhism.
Tan, 39, of Nibong Tebal filed an application on July 10, 2006, claiming that she had embraced Islam just for the sake of marrying an Iranian named Ferdoun Ashanian.
In her affidavit to renounce the religion, Siti Fatimah said she had never practised any of the Islamic teachings despite having converted in July 1998.
She said her lifestyle did not change and she continued to follow Buddhist teachings and to pray to various deities like the Tua Pek Kong, Kuan Yin and Thi Kong.
Siti Fatimah said she and her husband even consumed pork after their marriage.
The couple was married in 2004 but the man left her after just four months. Siti Fatimah claimed no knowledge of his whereabouts.
She wanted MAIP to declare she was no longer a Muslim under Section 61(3) of the Penang Islamic Administration Enactment.
She also wanted the court to change the religious status on her identity card from Muslim to Buddhist.
The court initially ordered that she learn more about Islam and to undergo three months of counselling with the Penang Islamic Religious Department's unit ukhwah (brotherhood) to ensure she understood the religion.
However, she only attended the session once and remained steadfast in wanting to revert to Buddhism.
© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
3. The Sun (http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=22156)
Convert allowed to leave Islam, 8 May 2008
By Opalyn Mok and Charles Ramendran
GEORGE TOWN : In a landmark ruling, the Penang Syariah High Court today allowed a Muslim convert to renounce Islam.
This is the first such decision by a Syariah High Court in the country since the Syariah Court Civil Procedure (State of Penang) Enactment 2004 came into force and is viewed as significant because apostasy, or renouncing the faith, is one of the gravest sins in Islam. Apostates can be jailed.
Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, 39, whose Chinese name was Tan Ean Huang, expressed relief that the two-year court wrangle is finally over.
"I will celebrate this decision with a big family dinner this Sunday (May 11) and at the same time celebrate Mother's Day with my mother."
After speaking briefly to the media, Siti Fatimah, accompanied by relatives, went to the Goddess of Mercy Temple on Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling to give thanks.
In delivering his decision, Perlis Syariah Court Chief Judge Othman Ibrahim, who had initially presided over the case before he was transferred, said the grounds for allowing Siti Fatimah's application were the testimonies heard in court and her affidavit which proved she never practised Islam.
"The court heard that she had continued with her Buddhist faith even after converting to Islam by praying at temples and was even accompanied by her husband who had brought her into Islam," he said.
He said her husband, as the person who brought her into the religion, had also failed to guide and assist her in her new faith as a Muslim.
The judge also took into account Siti Fatimah's affidavit which stated that she had continued consuming pork, praying to deities like Guan Yin, Thni Kong and Tua Peh Kong and that she did not understand Islam or its practices.
"The defendant, the state Islamic Affairs Council, did not take appropriate action as it was their responsibility to care for and look after the welfare of Muslim converts," Othman said.
He said the Syariah Court viewed this case seriously but it had no choice but to allow Siti Fatimah to renounce Islam based on those grounds.
He also ordered the council to cancel her Islam conversion certificate.
However, he disallowed her application for a court order to the National Registration Department to change the religious status on her identity card from Muslim to Buddhist as it was beyond his jurisdiction. He advised her to apply directly to the NRD.
Othman criticised the state Islamic Affairs Council for failing to carry out its duties in guiding Siti Fatimah in her new faith which resulted in this situation.
He said the council had also not bothered to appoint representation until the case neared the end.
Later, outside the courtroom, Siti Fatimah’s lawyer Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani described the decision as a new beginning for syariah law as a non-Muslim is now allowed to continue practising her own religion.
Siti Fatimah filed the application to renounce Islam in May 2006. She had converted in July 1998 to marry Iranian, Ferdoun Ashanian, in 1999.
She claimed Ferdoun left her a few months after their marriage and she stopped practising Islam. She has no knowledge of Ferdoun's whereabouts.
Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, who represented the council, said the council may appeal the decision.
In August 2007, the Syariah court had ordered Siti Fatimah to undergo counselling at the Department's Unit Ukhwah (a unit on brotherhood and sisterhood in Islam) before it could deliver a decision on her case.
The case was then postponed to December 2007 and was deferred yet again when she did not attend most of the counselling sessions.
4. Malaysiakini.com (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
Syariah Court allows convert to renounce Islam, 8 May 2008
The Syariah Court in Penang has allowed a Chinese convert to renounce Islam in a rare decision today.
Apostasy, or renouncing the faith, is one of the gravest sins in Islam and a very sensitive issue in Malaysia where the Islamic courts have rarely allowed such renunciations and have also jailed apostates.
Syariah Court judge Othman Ibrahim said he had no choice but to allow an application by cook Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah to renounce her faith and return to Buddhism.
"The court has no choice but to declare that Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah is no longer a Muslim as she has never practised the teachings of Islam," Othman told a packed courtroom.
"I order the conversion certificate to be nullified," he added.
Siti Fatimah or Tan Ean Huang, 38, said she had never practised Islamic teachings since she converted in 1998 and only did so to enable her to marry Iranian Ferdoun Ashanian.
The couple married in 2004 but since then her husband has left her following which she filed for the renunciation.
Siti happy with the outcome
Othman said it was clear from witnesses and the evidence presented that Siti had continued to practise Buddhism even after her conversion.
He rebuked the state Islamic religious council for not counselling and looking after the welfare of new converts.
"In this case, it is clear that the council has failed to live up to its responsibilities and the outcome is clear for all to see," he said.
Siti said she was happy with the court's decision.
"I'm relieved that the matter is finally settled after two years and I am now looking forward to doing something with my life again," she said.
The Islamic syariah courts operate in parallel to civil courts here but apply specifically to Muslims.
Bar Council vice-president Ragunath Kesavan said Sharia courts should not be the final arbiters in deciding cases of renunciation.
"It should be the high court which decides on this issue as some states in Malaysia do not provide for converting out so the high court remains the best place to sort this out," he said.
The court's verdict comes amid racial and religious tensions in multiracial Malaysia, where minority religious groups fear their rights are being undermined, even though the country is traditionally seen as moderate.
Siti now has one more hurdle ahead of her, which is to remove the word 'Islam' from her national identity card.
5. The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com)
Court allows Muslim convert to revert back to her faith, 8 May 2008
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): In a landmark ruling, a Malaysian Shariah court on Thursday allowed a Muslim convert to return to her original faith of Buddhism.
The Penang Shariah court, which governs the personal and religious conduct of Muslims, allowed Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's petition to be declared a non-Muslim after her marriage to an Iranian failed.
Siti, an ethnic Chinese going by the name of Tan Ean Yuang, had filed the application in May last year.
She embraced Islam in 1998 as she wanted to marry an Iranian named Ferdoun Ashanian, but claimed that she never practised the religion.
Siti will now have to get the Government registration department to have her name and religion changed back on her identification papers.
The court said Siti's husband and Islamic authorities had failed to give her proper religious advice. "So you can't blame her for her ignorance of the teachings and wanting to convert out," said Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, a lawyer for the Islamic Affairs Council in Penang.
Malaysia's population of 27 million, comprises majority 60 per cent Malays who are all Muslims, 25 per cent ethnic Chinese and 7.8 percent ethnic Indians mostly Hindus.
Malaysia's most high-profile conversion case was that of Lina Joy, a woman who was born to Muslim parents and failed to get the Federal Court, Malaysia's top civil court, to recognize her conversion to Christianity last year.
6. Associated Press (http://ap.google.com)
Islamic court says Muslim convert can return to Buddhism, 8 May 2008
By JULIA ZAPPEI
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian Islamic court allowed a Muslim convert Thursday to return to her original faith of Buddhism, setting a precedent that could ease religious minorities' worries about their legal rights.
Lawyers said the Shariah High Court's verdict in the northern state of Penang was the first time in recent memory that a convert has been permitted to legally renounce Islam in this Muslim-majority nation.
A rising number of disputes about religious conversions has sparked anxiety among minorities — predominantly Buddhist, Christian and Hindu — because in the past courts virtually always ruled against people seeking to leave Islam.
Penang's Shariah court, however, granted Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's request to be declared a non-Muslim. She embraced Islam in 1998 because she wanted to marry an Iranian, but claimed she never truly practiced the religion.
"I am very happy," Siti, a 39-year-old ethnic Chinese cake seller, told The Associated Press by telephone. "I want to go to the temple to pray and give thanks."
The Shariah court, which governs Muslims' personal conduct and religious lives, ruled that Siti's husband and Islamic authorities failed to give her proper religious advice.
"So you can't blame her for her ignorance of the teachings and wanting to convert out," said Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, a lawyer for the Islamic Affairs Council in Penang.
Siti must still ask the government registration department to have her name and religion changed back on her identification papers. She was not expected to face any problems, because the court ruled in her favor.
"It's a landmark decision," said Siti's lawyer, Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani. "This is the first time in Malaysia" in recent memory that someone has been allowed to convert back, he said.
Siti filed her request in 2006 after her husband left her. She was subsequently ordered to undergo counseling to ensure she truly understood Islam.
Malaysia's most high-profile conversion case was that of Lina Joy, a woman who was born to Muslim parents and failed to get the Federal Court, Malaysia's top civil court, to recognize her conversion to Christianity last year.
Malaysia has a dual court system with civil courts for non-Muslims and Shariah courts for Muslims. In interfaith disputes involving Islam, the Shariah courts typically get the last word, which has upset non-Muslims who fear they cannot get justice in such courts.
Court disputes that ended in favor of Muslims have caused minorities to worry that their rights have become subordinate to those of ethnic Malay Muslims, who make up nearly 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people.
Political observers say religious grievances contributed to the governing coalition's poor performance in March elections, in which the coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament.
・Associated Press Writer Sean Yoong contributed to this story.
7. WorldWide Religious News (http://wwrn.org)
"Islamic court says Muslim convert can return to Buddhism" 、8 May 2008
By Julia Zappei
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - A Malaysian Islamic court allowed a Muslim convert Thursday to return to her original faith of Buddhism, setting a precedent that could ease religious minorities' worries about their legal rights.
Lawyers said the Shariah High Court's verdict in the northern state of Penang was the first time in recent memory that a convert has been permitted to legally renounce Islam in this Muslim-majority nation.
A rising number of disputes about religious conversions has sparked anxiety among minorities - predominantly Buddhist, Christian and Hindu - because in the past courts virtually always ruled against people seeking to leave Islam.
Penang's Shariah court, however, granted Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's request to be declared a non-Muslim. She embraced Islam in 1998 because she wanted to marry an Iranian, but claimed she never truly practiced the religion.
"I am very happy," Siti, a 39-year-old ethnic Chinese cake seller, told The Associated Press by telephone. "I want to go to the temple to pray and give thanks."
The Shariah court, which governs Muslims' personal conduct and religious lives, ruled that Siti's husband and Islamic authorities failed to give her proper religious advice.
"So you can't blame her for her ignorance of the teachings and wanting to convert out," said Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, a lawyer for the Islamic Affairs Council in Penang.
Siti must still ask the government registration department to have her name and religion changed back on her identification papers. She was not expected to face any problems, because the court ruled in her favor.
"It's a landmark decision," said Siti's lawyer, Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani. "This is the first time in Malaysia" in recent memory that someone has been allowed to convert back, he said.
Siti filed her request in 2006 after her husband left her. She was subsequently ordered to undergo counseling to ensure she truly understood Islam.
Malaysia's most high-profile conversion case was that of Lina Joy, a woman who was born to Muslim parents and failed to get the Federal Court, Malaysia's top civil court, to recognize her conversion to Christianity last year.
Malaysia has a dual court system with civil courts for non-Muslims and Shariah courts for Muslims. In interfaith disputes involving Islam, the Shariah courts typically get the last word, which has upset non-Muslims who fear they cannot get justice in such courts.
Court disputes that ended in favor of Muslims have caused minorities to worry that their rights have become subordinate to those of ethnic Malay Muslims, who make up nearly 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people.
Political observers say religious grievances contributed to the governing coalition's poor performance in March elections, in which the coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament.
・Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse or adhere to views or opinions expressed in the articles posted. This is purely an information site, to inform interested parties of religious trends.
8．Reuters Canada (http://ca.reuters.com)
Malaysia woman scores rare legal win to quit Islam, 8 May 2008
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian religious court granted a woman's wish to formally renounce Islam on Thursday, a decision described by her lawyer as a landmark case that could enable many others to leave the faith.
Islamic courts in the mainly Muslim nation rarely allow Muslims to convert to other religions. Often, they prescribe counseling or sometimes even fine them for apostasy.
"It's a landmark case," said lawyer Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani, who represented Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, 38, in her two-year court battle to convert back to Buddhism from Islam.
Siti Fatimah, an ethnic Chinese woman formerly known as Tan Ean Huang, had converted to Islam in 1998 in order to marry her Muslim lover at the time. In Malaysia, non-Muslims must convert to Islam before they can legally marry a Muslim.
But Siti Fatimah later broke up with her husband and in 2006 sought to have her conversion to Islam annulled, Ahmad Jailani said, adding that she had never practiced as a Muslim and had only adopted Islam in name to ensure her marriage was recognized.
The lawyer said the ruling was important because it accepted that Muslims could renounce Islam on the grounds that they had never really practiced the faith.
"We brought in two witnesses from her family to say that (because of) the way she prays and way she lives in her house, she is not a Muslim," Ahmad Jailani said.
Islam is Malaysia's official religion, but a big minority of around 40 percent of Malaysians profess other faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
Islamic affairs are governed at state level, so Thursday's ruling by the Penang Sharia High Court does not necessarily form a precedent for sharia courts in Malaysia's 12 other states. Ahmad Jailani said the Penang state religious council, which had opposed Siti's renunciation of Islam, had signaled it was likely to appeal the ruling.
・Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by John Chalmers
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