Government investigating Jais raid on hindu wedding ceremony, says Kurup

Kurup (second from left) meeting members of the congregation after handing over the Government

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is still investigating the recent marriage of a woman according to Hindu rites although she has a Muslim name.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said the Government was aware of public views on the matter, especially the application of the woman, Zarena Abd Majid, 32, who reportedly wants to change her religion.

The controversy arose following the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) alleged interruption of her Hindu wedding ceremony at a temple in Petaling Jaya on June 1.

"The Government will continue to look into this problem," he told reporters after handing over a donation from the Government of RM500,000 for the building of the Brickfields Tamil Methodist Church's community centre on Sunday.

Zarena had earlier claimed that when her father converted to Islam, the status of her religion in her birth certificate and MyKad were listed as Islam. However, she never practised the religion.

She also claimed that she had tried changing the status of her religion in her identity card seven years ago but failed.

On the four-storey community center, Kurup said it would be equipped with various facilities such as an activity area, kindergarten, meeting room, study centre, administrative office and an auditorium.

Also present was the president of the Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC) Walter Santhosam and Tamil Methodist Church lay leader John Navamany. – Bernama