05-06-2007, 10:06 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070503-060203-5633r
<b>Hindu gets custody of children from Muslim wife</b>
May 3, 2007
KUALA LUMPUR -- A Malaysian Hindu man forcibly separated from his Muslim wife by Islamic authorities because they are of different religions was Thursday granted custody of their children in a milestone case.
<b>The children will be raised as Hindus in central Selangor state </b>despite having one Muslim parent - which lawyers said was unprecedented in mainly Muslim Malaysia.
Selangor Islamic authorities last month forcibly separated ethnic Indian P. Marimuthu from his ethnic Indian Muslim wife of 21 years, Raimah Bibi Noordin and six of their seven children.Â
During a high court hearing west of Kuala Lumpur, Raimah, 39, clad in traditional Malay floor-length attire with a Muslim headscarf, told the judge that she was voluntarily giving up custody of her children.
<b>"I agree to hand over the custody of my children to my husband to be raised as Hindus," </b> Raimah said, before she broke down in tears.
Under Malaysian law, a non-Muslim must convert to Islam in order to marry a Muslim, and children born to Muslims must be raised as followers of that religion.
Government legal advisor Zauyah Be Loth Khan said that Selangor's Islamic Affairs Department did not object to the children being raised as Hindus.
"She is still entitled to visiting rights at any time," Zauyah told reporters.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
First victory in Islamic nation.
<b>Hindu gets custody of children from Muslim wife</b>
May 3, 2007
KUALA LUMPUR -- A Malaysian Hindu man forcibly separated from his Muslim wife by Islamic authorities because they are of different religions was Thursday granted custody of their children in a milestone case.
<b>The children will be raised as Hindus in central Selangor state </b>despite having one Muslim parent - which lawyers said was unprecedented in mainly Muslim Malaysia.
Selangor Islamic authorities last month forcibly separated ethnic Indian P. Marimuthu from his ethnic Indian Muslim wife of 21 years, Raimah Bibi Noordin and six of their seven children.Â
During a high court hearing west of Kuala Lumpur, Raimah, 39, clad in traditional Malay floor-length attire with a Muslim headscarf, told the judge that she was voluntarily giving up custody of her children.
<b>"I agree to hand over the custody of my children to my husband to be raised as Hindus," </b> Raimah said, before she broke down in tears.
Under Malaysian law, a non-Muslim must convert to Islam in order to marry a Muslim, and children born to Muslims must be raised as followers of that religion.
Government legal advisor Zauyah Be Loth Khan said that Selangor's Islamic Affairs Department did not object to the children being raised as Hindus.
"She is still entitled to visiting rights at any time," Zauyah told reporters.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
First victory in Islamic nation.