Selangor State Legislative session was prematurely adjourned due to unilateral conversion bill?

Tensions rise within Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) after the state Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari expressed his intention to push the bill for unilateral conversion of minors to Islam.

Basically, the proposed amendment would remove the requirement for both parents’ consent to convert a minor to Islam.

Earlier this month, Shari planned to revise the unilateral conversion bill during the state assembly sitting. However, Selangor Legislative Assembly Speaker Ng Suee Lim adjourned the sitting after just two days from the scheduled nine days.

Consequently, Ng was lambasted for allegedly blocking the discussions on the proposed bill. To his defense, the state Speaker denied that the sitting was shortened due to his disagreement with Amirudin over the unilateral conversion bill.

Instead, Ng revealed that the low number of turnouts was the reason that the state legislative session was adjourned prematurely.

Additionally, politicians from both government and opposition criticized the proposed amendment.

Selangor DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo said any law that allows the unilateral conversion of a minor in the state will be unconstitutional as it would be contrary to the Federal Constitution.

Besides, Gobind and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng firmly argued that the conversion of minors Islam should only be permitted with the consent from both parents.

On the other hand, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) spokesman Chan Quin Er called on Amirudin and the Selangor state government to uphold the Federal Constitution and to abide the Federal Court’s ruling in the case of M. Indira Gandhi.

For Indira’s case, her three children were converted to Islam by her ex-husband. However, the Federal Court ruled in Indira’s favour as the children’s conversion only received their father’s consent, but not the mother’s. Hence, the unilateral conversion on Indira’s three children were nullified.

Nevertheless, the unilateral conversion bill is just one of the numerous issues surrounding Amirudin for the past month.

The Selangor Menteri Besar was criticised for his lack of involvement in the water disruption incidents at the Sungai Selangor raw water source in July. Plus, he also made headlines for allegedly involved in an extra-marital affair with a Selangor assemblywoman.

Can the rumour of no-confidence vote against the Selangor Menteri Besar be true?