Berita Dari Media Isu Murtad

Hormati keputusan - Zahid Hamidi - Utusan Online

KUALA LUMPUR 8 Mei - Rakyat perlu menghormati keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Pulau Pinang yang membenarkan permohonan Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah untuk mengisytiharkan dirinya bukan lagi seorang Islam selepas tidak mengamalkan ajaran tersebut sejak memeluknya pada 1999.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata, keputusan mahkamah itu dibuat selepas majlis penasihat membuat pertimbangan sewajarnya dan seharusnya diterima oleh orang ramai.

''Kaunseling yang diberikan kepada Siti Fatimah didapati tidak berkesan dan dia tidak lagi mengamalkan ajaran Islam sejak 1999," katanya ketika ditemui di lobi Parlimen di sini hari ini.

Beliau diminta mengulas keputusan Ketua Hakim Syarie Perlis, Othman Ibrahim, yang mendengar kes itu ketika menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Pulau Pinang, membenarkan permohonan bekas tukang masak itu mengisytiharkan keluar Islam.

Hakim Othman memerintahkan supaya Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (MAIPP) membatalkan sijil pendaftaran memeluk Islam wanita itu setelah mendapatinya tidak mengamalkan ajaran Islam sejak dari awal lagi.

Berikutan itu, mahkamah memutuskan bahawa plaintif bukan lagi seorang Islam menurut Seksyen 61(3)b(x) Enakmen Aturcara Mal Mahkamah Syariah Pulau Pinang 2004.

Kes Siti Fatimah atau nama sebenarnya Tan Ean Huang, 39, merupakan yang pertama di negara ini melibatkan pertukaran ke agama asal mualaf yang masih hidup sejak Mahkamah Syariah diberi kuasa mengendalikan kes sebegini.

Wanita itu memeluk Islam pada 25 Julai 1998 sebagai mencukupkan syarat bagi membolehkannya berkahwin dengan seorang lelaki warga Iran, Ferdoun Ashanian.

Beliau memfailkan permohonan perisytiharan keluar Islam selepas ditinggalkan suaminya, yang menghilangkan diri tanpa sebarang sebab, empat bulan selepas berkahwin.

Ahmad Zahid berkata, tidak ada undang-undang di peringkat Persekutuan yang melarang mualaf keluar daripada Islam, begitu juga di peringkat negeri kecuali Negeri Sembilan.

Beliau menegaskan, Pulau Pinang juga tidak mempunyai undang-undang tersebut

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Siti Fatimah dibenar murtad - Keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah P. Pinang itu adalah kes pertama di negara ini - Utusan Online
Oleh FAIROL REDZA ISMAEL ALABAS
PULAU PINANG 8 Mei - Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah di sini hari ini membenarkan permohonan Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah @ Tan Abdullah, 39, untuk mendapatkan pengisytiharan keluar daripada agama Islam (murtad).

Ini merupakan kes pertama di negara ini melibatkan mualaf yang masih hidup semenjak Mahkamah Syariah diberi kuasa mengendali kes sebegini.

Bekas Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Pulau Pinang yang mendengar kes itu dahulu, Othman Ibrahim, yang kini merupakan Ketua Hakim Syarie Perlis, memutuskan demikian setelah mendapati plaintif tidak mengamalkan ajaran Islam sejak memeluk agama itu pada 25 Julai 1998.

Sehubungan itu, Hakim Othman memerintahkan Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (MAIPP) membatalkan sijil memeluk Islam wanita itu.

Untuk menukar status dalam kad pengenalan, Siti Fatimah diminta menguruskannya dengan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara kerana itu di luar bidang kuasa mahkamah syariah.

Keputusan tersebut dilaksanakan menurut undang-undang yang mula terpakai sejak 1 Januari 2006 lanjutan kepada Seksyen 61(3)b(X) di bawah Enakmen Aturcara Mal 2004, Mahkamah Syariah Pulau Pinang.

Siti Fatimah yang dilihat berbaju merah jambu dan berskirt hitam diwakili oleh peguam syarie, Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani.

Pada 10 Julai 2006, wanita itu memfailkan permohonannya terhadap MAIPP selaku defendan.

Menurut pernyataan tuntutannya, beliau tidak pernah yakin dengan ajaran Islam dan hanya memeluk agama itu sekadar untuk mencukupkan syarat bagi membolehkannya berkahwin dengan seorang lelaki warga negara Iran bernama Ferdoun Ashanian pada 16 September 2004.

Siti Fatimah, yang pernah bekerja sebagai tukang masak, memfailkan permohonan itu selepas ditinggalkan suaminya yang menghilangkan diri tanpa sebarang sebab.

Dalam tuntutannya juga, beliau menyatakan bahawa sepanjang memeluk agama Islam, dia masih lagi menyembah berhala Tok Pek Kong, berhala Kuang Tin Ne dan berhala Ti Kong (Dewa Langit) mengikut ajaran agama asalnya, Buddha dan memakan daging khinzir.

Dalam pada itu, sebelum mengumumkan keputusan, Hakim Othman kesal dan mengkritik MAIPP kerana lalai dengan tanggungjawab mereka dalam menjaga kebajikan mualaf.

‘‘Sepatutnya MAIPP perlu menyelia dan membimbing golongan yang baru masuk Islam.

‘‘Kalau tidak buat macam itu, dikhuatiri akan wujud lebih banyak kes-kes sebegini,’’ katanya.

Tambahnya, murtad boleh berlaku berlandaskan tiga perkara iaitu melalui perbuatan, pertuturan dan iktikad yang menyimpang daripada ajaran Islam.

Peguam syarie yang mewakili MAIPP, Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz memaklumkan kepada hakim bahawa pihaknya akan memfailkan notis rayuan ke Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah Pulau Pinang.

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Syariah High Court lets Muslim convert renounce Islam and go back to Buddhism - The Star Online
Friday May 9, 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.

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LANDMARK DECISION: Syariah High Court declares convert no longer a Muslim

By : Sharanjit Singh

Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah @ Tan Ean Huang with her counsel Ahmad Jailani Abdul Ghani after the court decision allowing her to renounce Islam.
George Town, THURS:

The Syariah High Court in Penang has delivered a landmark decision allowing a Chinese convert to renounce Islam and revert back to her Buddhist faith.

Syarie High Court judge Othman Ibrahim said the court had no choice but to declare Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah no longer a Muslim as she had never practised the teachings of Islam.

Siti Fatimah, who is from Nibong Tebal, is a Chinese by birth. She filed the application in May last year. In her affidavit to renounce the religion, Siti Fatimah, whose Chinese name is Tan Ean Huang, said she converted to Islam in July 1998.

However she never practised any of the Islamic teachings and claimed that she had converted for the sake of marrying an Iranian named Ferdoun Ashanian in 1999, but he left her a few months later. She has no knowledge of his current whereabouts.There was pin drop silence as Othman delivered the decision.

He also chastised the Penang Islamic Religious Council for failing to live up to its responsibilities and ensuring new converts truly understood the teachings of Islam.

He said it was regrettable that the council had neglected its duties and did not act quickly enough to save Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's ‘akidah’ (faith).Citing this as among causes that led to her shallow understanding of the religion, he said: "It is their obligation to encourage, support, help and ensure new converts understand and follow Islamic teachings.

"However, in this case nothing was done until the last moment when it was already too late," he said.Othman noted that the council only entered its representations in Siti Fatimah's case at the end of the trial despite having been served notice right from the start.

He said the council should establish clear procedural and supervisory guidelines on the issue of conversions in and out of Islam.

Meanwhile, Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, or Tan Ean Huang, 39, when met after the decision, said she was relieved and could now get on with her life.

"It has been traumatic for me while my case was pending.

Now that it is finally over, I hope to move on. "I also hope to be able to find a boyfriend now that the issue surrounding my religious status is cleared,” she said.

Tan, who is the eldest among eight siblings, said she was thankful her family had been supportive of her all this while.

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Judge: Council failed in duty to guide converts - NST

2008/05/09

GEORGE TOWN: Silence descended on the Syariah High Court here yesterday as judge Othman Ibrahim delivered a no-holds-barred decision in favour of a convert who wanted to renounce Islam. He chastised the Penang Islamic Religious Council for failing to ensure that new converts understood the teachings of Islam.He said it was regrettable that the council had neglected its duties and did not act quickly enough to save Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's akidah (faith).

"It is their obligation to encourage, support, help and ensure that new converts understand and follow Islamic teachings.

However, in this case nothing was done until the last moment when it was already too late.

"Othman said the council only entered its representations in Siti Fatimah's case at the end of the trial despite having been served notice at the start.

He said the council should establish clear procedural and supervisory guidelines on conversions "in and out" of Islam.

Othman said the Siti Fatimah case was similar to Nyonya Tahir's as it involved converts who never practised Islam.In the Nyonya Tahir case, the Seremban Syariah High Court last year decided that the 89-year-old Malay woman was a non-Muslim when she died.

It allowed her family to bury her according to Buddhist rites.Nyonya was born in 1918 in Alor Gajah, Malacca, and was raised by her grandmother, who was a Malay married to a Chinese convert.

However, the court took into consideration evidence from Nyonya Tahir's family that she had been raised as a Buddhist and had never practised Islam.

She had consistently adopted the Chinese way of life.

In his judgment, Othman detailed the meaning of murtad (apostate) and kafir (non-believer) and how Islam dealt with the two.

He said becoming an apostate was a great sin in Islam and its punishment severe, to the extent that one who renounced the religion could be sentenced to death.

However, he said in Siti Fatimah's case she had not followed Islamic teachings from her conversion onwards and remained a Buddhist.

He said her husband, Iranian Ferdoun Ashanian, had failed to guide and assist her on her newly-acquired faith. This was compounded by the council's failure to follow up after her conversion.Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, who represented the council, said he planned to appeal the decision within the stipulated 14 days.

'Process should be made easier - NST

2008/05/09

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has mixed feelings over the decision by the Penang Syariah High Court's decision to permit a Chinese Muslim convert to revert to her original faith.

Council president Datuk A Vaithilingam said he was happy that Tan Ean Huang (Siti Fatimah) was now free to practise her Buddhist faith again but it should have been made easier for her to return to her original faith.

"A person should have the freedom to profess his or her own religion without administrative hurdles, enforced counselling and having to wait years for her own faith to be officially recognised."

"Religious freedom is something dear to all Malaysians. We should be allowed to worship the Supreme Being in our own way."

Vaithilingam stressed that Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution must be respected. Article 11(1) provides that every person has the right to profess and practise his own religion.

"The council believes that a simple registration procedure should be implemented to allow persons to have their religion officially recognised, according to their own wishes.

"We also believe that religious conversion, be it into or out of Islam, cannot be used as an excuse to avoid one's obligations to one's family."