Lawmakers hoping new amendments will be fair to all parties

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawmakers are hoping the new amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016 will be fair to all parties.

Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Liang Teck Meng said it was premature to make detailed comments as the amendments would only be tabled for first reading today.

“We do not want to speculate but we hope it will be well received by non-Muslims,” he said yesterday.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam said Clause 88A is in conflict with the Federal Constitution and might not be put into force even if it were passed.

“However, there are other elements in the amendments that will help us resolve many problems.

“As a first step, we thought we will go forward with those. For this clause, we will see how to pass it in ways that will be acceptable to all.”

MCA Youth vice-chairman Nicole Wong said the wing is disappointed with the decision.

She reiterated the party’s position that the religion of a minor should be decided by both parents as enshrined in the Constitution until 2002: “Our party’s position remains in line with the (withdrawn) Clauses 88A(1) and 88A(2).”

She added: “We appeal to the Government to emulate the Negri Sembilan state government which plans to add a clause to the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Negri Sembilan) Enactment 2003, compelling aspiring Muslim converts to resolve their family matters, including formally divorcing the spouse who refuses to convert, before embracing Islam.”

PAS information chief Nasuruddin Hasan said the party will state its stand only after studying the Bill: “We will have to wait and see. We cannot blindly welcome such a move ... it will depend on whether or not the law is beneficial to Islam.”

Upko vice-president Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh said: “That (Law Reform) Bill needs to be refined. In Sabah, we have our own native law and similar law for Muslims. We need collaboration and further engagement with all stakeholders.”