‘Two-thirds parliamentary majority needed for unilateral child conversion ban’

KUALA LUMPUR: The government needs a two-thirds majority vote in the Dewan Rakyat to amend the Federal Constitution to push for a ban on unilateral child conversion.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said this during a Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) dialogue when asked by a delegate from the National Council of Women’s Organisations Malaysia on the issue.

He said although there were calls for the ban and for the controversial clause 88A to be included in the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill, the government was bound by the Constitution.

“We need maturity to amend the Constitution and a two-thirds majority. It’s not that we didn’t try our best.

“I don’t have a two-thirds majority... unless women can give us the two-thirds majority,” he said.

The Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Aug 10. The amendment included the passing of Section 51, where either spouse, including the one who converts, must have their marriage dissolved in a civil court.

However clause 88A was not inserted into the bill as demanded by many quarters.

Clause 88A stated that the religion of the child “shall remain as the religion of the parties to the marriage prior to the conversion”.

The clause also provides that the child can, after turning 18 and with the consent of both parents, convert to Islam.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had explained that Clause 88A would not solve the issue as more discussions were needed to find a more comprehensive solution.