Penyunting Berita Bersama: Membina Konsensus

A joint press release/statement by the Joint Action Group Against Violence Against Women (JAG):
All Women Action Society of Malaysia; Malaysian Trade Union Congress, Women's Section; Sisters in Islam; Women's Aid Organisation; Women's Centre for Change, Penang; Women's Development Collective.

The recent decision on 13 April 2004 of the Kuala Lumpur High Court to dismiss the application of Shamala Sathyaseelan* to nullify the conversion of her two children to Islam by their newly converted father, Dr. Jeyaganesh Mogarajah who did not seek consent from their Hindu mother, has prompted the Joint Action Group Against Violence Against Women (JAG) to bring together 11 NGOs to discuss the slow deterioration of fundamental rights at a meeting on 27 April 2004 at Sisters in Islam.

Representatives from NGOs discussed the immediate impact of the judgement on the marriage status for persons of other faiths. It allows any party to the marriage - generally the husband - to walk out of the civil marriage by converting to Islam. If he wants custody of the children, he is able to convert them although the children may be too young to even comprehend what religion means. The wife is left with limited options - either she converts or begins divorce proceedings. Furthermore, she is threatened by the fact that the ensuing case for custody of her children may not be successful in the civil courts as her children have now been deemed Muslim.

Organised by both Sisters in Islam and WAO on behalf of JAG, the meeting on 27th April 2004 drew a good response from 47 people from 11 groups. Aside from members of JAG, the 11 groups which included the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism & Sikhism (MCCBCHS), Catholic Lawyers' Society, INSAF, Bar Council, Pure Life Society, Vivekananda Youth Group, Catholic Bishops' Conference, Council of Churches, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) and National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) shared similar experiences and concerns, and recognised that the fundamental rights of all Malaysians are slowly being eroded when religion is used to encroach into the private lives of citizens.

The meeting agreed that a loose coalition of NGOs will be formed for future advocacy and public awareness to uphold the fundamental rights of all Malaysians regardless of religion, race, descent, place of birth, or gender.

The Prime Minister himself has expressed his commitment to equality for all citizens and their rights within a multi-religious Malaysia, as reflected in these statements: on 8th March 2004 in the New Straits Times, "…. strongly believed that everyone should be sensitive to a Malaysian multi-cultural and multi-religious make up", and on 9th March 2004 in the New Straits Times, "I am the PM for all Malaysians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I would include everyone in a system for all..." Everyone in this country has rights under the constitution. Not only should leaders be fair to Muslims, they should also take all races into consideration. This is what Islam teaches and demands of us."

The coalition of NGOs affirms its commitment to continue to embrace and uphold the following principles as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and Human Rights Conventions:

a. No citizen shall be discriminated on the basis of religion, race, descent, place of birth, or gender.

b. Parents (mother and father) are equal guardians and have an equal say in the upbringing of the child.

c. The child shall be protected from any form of discrimination on the grounds of religion, and in all cases, the interests of the child shall be paramount.

d. Religion and belief for anyone who professes either should be fully respected and guaranteed.

e. Every citizen has a responsibility to condemn discrimination and intolerance based on religion or belief and to apply religion or belief in support of human dignity and peace.

The loose coalition will be meeting again on May 14 to continue building consensus and to organise activities which includes a public forum and to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister.

Released written on behalf of JAG by:
Women's Aid Organisation & Sisters in Islam

* The case of Shamala Sathyaseelan vs Dr. Jeyaganesh Mogarajah, another example of the plight of a mother whose parental rights were ignored and subverted by the judicial system, has had 3 groups holding watching briefs since September 2003. The 3 watching briefs were held by the Malaysian Bar Council, The Association of Women's Lawyers and a collective of 4 women's groups from JAG; Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS), All Women's Action Society (AWAM) and Women's Centre for Change Penang (WCC)

Shamala married her husband in accordance to Hindu rites in 1998. In 2002, the husband converted into Islam and Shamala applied for custody of her 2- and 4-year-old children in the civil courts. In April 2003, Shamala was granted custody order and husband was allowed access. The husband also applied to the Syariah Courts and was granted Hadanah Order from the Syariah Court on May 2003. Using his rights of visitation, husband accompanied by the religious authority, took the children away from Shamala and relied on the Syariah Court's order to keep the children. The husband had converted the children without Shamala's knowledge. However she then applied for a declaration to have the conversion of her 2- and 4-year-old children nullified.

On 13 April 2004, the High Court dismissed Shamala's application with cost.

Penyunting Berita Bersama
Membina Konsensus
6 Mei 2004

Kenyatan dari Joint Action Group Against Violence Against Violence Against Women (JAG):

All Women Action Society of Malaysia (AWAM); Malaysia Trade Union Congress, Women's Section; Sisters in Islam; Women's Aid Organisation; Women's Centre for Change, Penang; Women's Development Collective.

Keputusan terkini Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur yang dikeluarkan pada 13 April 2004 yang menolak kes Shamala Sathyaseelan* untuk memansuhkan penukaran agama dari Hindu ke Islam ke atas kedua-dua anaknya oleh bapa mereka (yang telah memeluk agama Islam) tanpa sebarang persetujuan terlebih dahulu daripada ibu yang beragama Hindu telah menimbulkan beberapa hal yang membimbangkan. Ini telah mendorong Joint Action Group Against Violence Against Women (JAG) dan 11 NGO (badan-badan bukan kerajaan) lain untuk berbincang mengenai kemerosotan hak asasi orang awam di dalam mesyuarat yang bertarikh 27 April 2004 di pejabat Sisters in Islam (SIS).

Wakil-wakil NGO telah berbincang akan impak keputusan kes tersebut terhadap status perkahwinan seseorang yang bukan penganut agama Islam. Keputusan ini membenarkan mana-mana pihak (selalunya pihak suami) untuk mencari jalan keluar yang mudah dari perkahwinan sivil mereka dengan memeluk agama Islam. Sekiranya pihak suami inginkan hak penjagaan anak tersebut, maka dia boleh membuat penukaran agama bagi pihak anak-anaknya walaupun kanak-kanak tersebut masih belum cukup matang untuk memahami erti sebenarnya apa yang dinamakan "agama". Jalan penyelesaian bagi pihak ibu sangat terbatas - samada si ibu turut menukar agama atau beliau perlu memulakan proses penceraian perkahwinan sivil. Tambahan pula, selalunya, pihak isteri dalam situasi ini akan mengalami suatu kejutan di mana dia tidak berhak untuk mendapatkan sebarang hak penjagaan di Mahkamah Sivil selepas anak-anaknya ditukarkan ke agama Islam.

Ekoran daripada itu, SIS dan WAO bagi pihak JAG, telah mengadakan satu mesyuarat pada 27 April 2004 yang dihadiri oleh 47 orang perwakilan dari 11 NGO di Malaysia. Selain daripada ahli-ahli JAG, NGO lain yang terdiri dari Malaysia Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism & Sikhism (MCCBCHS); Catholic Lawyers Society; INSAF; BAR Council; Pure Life Society; Vivekananda Youth Group; Catholic Bishops Conference; Council of Churches; Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM); dan National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) turut bergabung untuk berkongsi pengalaman dan pendapat, dan mendatangkan kesedaran bahawa hak asasi orang awam semakin terhakis apabila agama disalahgunakan untuk menekan kehidupan orang biasa.

Mesyuarat ini telah mengambil keputusan bahawa perlu diwujudkan satu gabungan yang dianggotai oleh NGO yang prihatin terhadap masalah ini bagi menyusun aktiviti advokasi dan kesedaran awam di masa depan untuk mengangkat hak asasi kesemua rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira agama, bangsa, keturunan, gender, dan tempat lahir.

Perdana Menteri kita sendiri telah merakamkan komitmennya terhadap kesaksamaan untuk semua rakyat dan hak-hak mereka di dalam masyarakat majmuk Malaysia, seperti yang di laporkan pada 8 Mac 2004 di akhbar New Straits Times, iaitu "… percaya dengan teguhnya bahawa setiap orang perlu peka kepada Malaysia yang terdiri dari pelbagai budaya dan fahaman", dan pada 9 Mac 2004, juga di akhbar New Straits Times, "Saya ialah Perdana Menteri bagi semua rakyat Malaysia, samada mereka penganut agama Islam mahupun penganut fahaman lain. Saya mahu semua rakyat bersatu di bawah satu sistem untuk semua…" Setiap orang di negara ini mempunyai hak asasi mereka seperti yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaai. Pemimpin bukan sahaja perlu berlaku adil kepada mereka yang beragama Islam, tetapi juga perlu mengambil pertimbangan terhadap kaum-kaum lain. Inilah yang diajar dan dituntut oleh Islam."

Gabungan NGO mengesahkan komitmen mereka untuk terus menegakkan prinsip-prinsip yang di pegang oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Piagam Hak-hak Asasi Manusia seperti berikut:

a. Tiada diskriminasi di kalangan rakyat Malaysia berdasarkan agama, kaum, keturunan, tempat lahir atau gender.

b. Penjaga (Ibu Bapa) mempunyai hak penjagaan samarata terhadap anak-anak dan mempunyai hak samarata di dalam pengasuhan anak-anak mereka.

c. Kanak-kanak perlu di lindungi daripada sebarang diskriminasi dari segi agama, dan dalam semua kes, kepentingan kanak-kanak adalah yang utama di ambil kira.

d. Agama dan kepercayaan bagi setiap penganut perlu dihormati dan dijamin.

e. Setiap orang mempunyai tanggungjawab untuk membantah diskriminasi dan ketiadaan toleransi dengan berasaskan kepada agama atau kepercayaan masing-masing bagi mencapai kemuliaan dan keamanan manusia.

Gabungan ini akan bersidang bagi kali kedua pada 14 May 2004 untuk merancang aktiviti-aktiviti seperti forum awam dan temujanji dengan Perdana Menteri.

Di tulis bagi pihak JAG oleh :-
Women's Aid Organisation & Sisters in Islam

* Kes Shamala Sathyaseelan vs Dr.Jeyaganesh Mogarajah ialah salah satu contoh kes yang menunjukkan bagaimana hak seorang ibu terhadap anak-anaknya di abaikan dan tidak dihormati oleh sistem kehakiman. Bagi kes ini, tiga kumpulan telah menjalankan pengawasan dalam perbicaraan (watching brief) yang mengikuti kes ini sejak September 2003. Tiga pengawasan perbicaraan tersebut dijalankan oleh Malaysian Bar Council, The Association of Women Lawyers, dan gabungan 4 kumpulan wanita dari JAG - Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters In Islam (SIS), All Women's Action Society (AWAM) dan Women's Centre forChange Penang (WCC).

Perkahwinan Shamala berlangsung mengikut adat Hindu pada tahun 1998. Pada tahun 2002, suaminya telah menukar agama ke Islam dan Shamala telah memohon hak penjagaan anak untuk 2 orang anak yang berumur 2 tahun dan 4 tahun di Mahkamah Sivil. Dalam bulan April 2003, Shamala telah mendapat hak penjagaan dan suaminya diberi hak menziarahi. Suaminya juga turut memohon hak penjagaan di Mahkamah Syariah dan telah mendapat perintah Hadanah dari Mahkamah Syariah pada May 2003. Dengan menggunakan hak lawatan, suaminya, dengan diiring oleh pegawai agama, telah mengambil anak-anak tersebut dari Shamala dan berdasarkan perintah Mahkamah Syariah telah menyimpan anak-anak tersebut dibawah jagaannya. Suaminya juga telah menukar agama kedua-dua anaknya tanpa pengetahuan Shamala. Walaubagaiamanapun, Shamala kemudian telah memohon pengisytiharaan untuk membatalkan penukaran agama yang dibuat ke atas kedua-dua anaknya

Pada 13 April 2004, Mahkamah Tinggi telah menolak permohonan Shamala dengan belanja.

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