BN component parties must explain if the withdrawal of Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016 is sanctioned and approved in the Cabinet meeting.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said dropped a bombshell in the Dewan Rakyat by withdrawing the bill that aims to prevent unilateral conversions of minors.
The bill was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on November 21, 2016. But the second reading of the bill has been deferred twice, ie the 3rd sitting of Parliamentary Session in 2016 and the 1st sitting of Parliamentary Session in 2017.
An informal Cabinet panel was set up to look into ways to resolve interfaith child custody conflicts between Muslim and non-Muslim parents. Those named to be part of the Cabinet taskforce are Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.
Dr Subramaniam had said in January last year that the prime minister has agreed in principle to consider amending the law to prevent children from being converted to another religion without the consent of both parents.
So what has changed to cause the amendment bill to be withdrawn now?
Liow Tiong Lai, Joseph Kurup, S. Subramaniam, Mah Siew Keong and the other leaders of BN component parties should explain if the withdrawal was discussed and agreed upon in the Cabinet meeting? And if it is, why they agreed to it?
Or perhaps, they will claim that the matter was never discussed in the Cabinet meeting? Just like Hadi’s RUU 355?
Leaders of BN component parties cannot remain silent or they shall be seemed as agreeing to further jeopardizing the rights of all single parents.