Over his dead body - The Guardian

By John Aglionby

Religious minorities in predominantly Muslim Malaysia have launched a campaign to amend the country's constitution after the high court ruled it had no jurisdiction to intervene in a decision made by an Islamic court over a dead man's burial that his non-Muslim wife disputed.

The minorities fear that unless action is taken, the Islamic, or sharia, authorities could bully their way into further restricting non-Muslims' rights, particularly those of women and children.

"We cannot allow a small group who are extreme in their views to dominate the nation's social and religious life," the Rev Wong Kim Kong, a spokesman for the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS), told Guardian Unlimited. "If no action is taken by the government then it might sow disharmony."

The campaign was launched after the high court in Kuala Lumpur ruled on Wednesday it had no authority to address, let alone overrule, a sharia court decision that a dead man, Moorthy Maniam, must be given a Muslim burial because several people said he had converted to Islam even though there was no documentary evidence to confirm the conversion. Mr Moorthy's Hindu wife, along with other people, contested the assertion that he had converted, but she was not allowed to present her case in the sharia court.

Mr Moorthy, 36, a former soldier who was a member of the first Malaysian team to scale Mount Everest, died on December 20 after going into a coma on November 11. He had been paralysed since 1998. He was given a Muslim burial on Wednesday.

The Islamic affairs department claimed in court that Mr Moorthy converted verbally in October 2004. His widow, Kaliammal Sinnasamy, said he continued to practise Hinduism up until his final illness, that he visited a Hindu temple, ate pork and drank alcohol.

[More at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/dec/30/worlddispatch.johnaglionby]

PM Hopes Hanafi Can Bring Change To Pengkalan Pasir - Bernama

From Khairdzir Yunus

MECCA, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his thank you message to Pengkalan Pasir voters for returning victory to Barisan Nasional (BN), hopes BN candidate Hanafi Mamat would bring about change to the constituency.

"As I have said, Hanafi will make a good state assemblyman for the constituency," said the Prime Minister when asked for his reaction to BN's triumph in the Pengkalan Pasir by-election, Wednesday.

BN wrested control over Pas stronghold in Pengkalan Pasir when 51-year old Hanafi, who is also Pasir Mas Deputy Umno division chief won the by-election after a recount Wednesday.

Hanafi secured 7,422 votes with a 134-vote majority, defeating Pas candidate Hanifa Ahmad who garnered 7,288 votes. Independent candidate Datuk Ibrahim Ali received mere 415 votes and lost his deposit.

Abdullah, who is BN chairman told the Malaysian media covering the Third Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) that he was grateful to Allah that the by-election had proceeded smoothly and the people had the opportunity to exercise their rights in electing their state assemblyman, through the ballot box.

"I would also like to thank the Barisan Nasional election machinery led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib (Tun Razak) and Datuk (Seri) Annuar Musa (Kelantan Umno Liaison Chief).

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=169272]

BN Wins After Recount In Pengkalan Pasir By-election - Bernama

PASIR MAS, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- After a recount, Barisan Nasional's (BN) Hanafi Mamat was Wednesday given the mandate as the state assemblyman for Pengkalan Pasir, ending Pas dominance in the constituency, with a majority of 134 votes.

Hanafi, 51, who is also Pasir Mas Deputy Umno division chief polled 7,422 votes against Hanifa Ahmad of Pas who garnered 7,288 votes.

Independent contestant Datuk Ibrahim Ali received 415 votes. He lost his deposit.

The returning officer Abdul Halim Ahmad announced the result at the tallying centre in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Ibrahim (I) here at 12.31 pm.

At the first count last night, Hanafi was declared the winner at 9.22 pm with a 129 vote majority after securing 7,419 votes against Hanifa's 7,290 while Ibrahim garnered a mere 414 votes.

Also present were Umno Secretary General Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Seri Annuar Musa.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=169115]