Islam is a room with no exit door. But at least she is not being tried as an apostate, an offense which in traditional Sharia law carries a death penalty. “Appeal to delete “˜Islam” from IC rejected,” from The Star, with thanks to Sparta:
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by a woman who filed an originating summons to delete the word “Islam” from her identity card and claimed she is free to practise the religion of her choice.
The majority decision was read by Justice Datuk Gopal Sri Ram who sat with Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohamad and Datuk Arifin Zakaria.
Justice Abdul Aziz and Justice Arifin ruled that the Director-General of the National Registration Department (NRD) was right in not allowing the application brought by Lina Joy, whose original name was Azlina Jailani.
She wanted to delete the word “Islam” from her identity card on the grounds that the syariah court and other Islamic religious authorities did not confirm her renunciation of Islam.
“The NRD acted perfectly, prudently and rationally in a matter of such sensitivity and importance,” said Justice Abdul Aziz….
Justice Datuk Faiza Thambi Chik had held that as Lina was a Malay, she could not renounce Islam.
In his judgment on April 23, 2001, he also refused to decide on Lina’s wish to renounce Islam on the grounds that the issue should be decided by the syariah court….
On Feb 2, 1997, Lina applied to the NRD to change her name on the grounds that she no longer professed Islam and had accepted the Christian faith.
The application was rejected by the NRD on Aug 11, 1997.