Islamic Tolerance Alert from modern, moderate Malaysia: “Jakim Asked To Investigate Beginda’s Religious Status – Nazri,” from Bernama, November 10 (thanks to Twostellas):
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Bernama) –The government has asked the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to investigate the religious status of Beginda Anak Minda also known as Noor Azman Abdullah, said Minister in the Orime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
He said only after this was done, could investigations proceed into the caning of his son in a school in Kuching for bringing fried rice with pork sausages into the school’s premises.
“If he is determined to be a Muslim, according to a decree issued by the National Fatwa Council, if one of the parents is a Muslim, the child also has to be a Muslim.
“Only after this can conclusions be drawn why his son was caned,” he said when winding debate on the Supply Bill 2011 for the Prime Minister’s Department in the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday.
The case was highlighted in newspapers on Nov 5 after the 10-year-old boy’s mother, Angela Jabing, complained to the Sarawak Education Department about the caning incident.
The issue also caused a shouting match to erupt between Zulkifli Nordin (Ind-Kulim-Bandar Baharu) and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Pas-Kuala Selangor) leading to the latter being ordered out of the Dewan till proceedings resumed in the afternoon.
Zulkifli had accused PAS of condoning Muslims eating pork which riled up Dzulkefly resulting a slanging match between the duo which lasted for almost 10 minutes before Timbalan Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar intervened.
Later, Chong Chien Jen (DAP-Bandar Kuching) told reporters at Parliament’s lobby that Basil anak Beginda (the son) was not a Muslim based on his parents religious status in his birth certificate and their wedding certificate which was e-mailed to him by Basil’s mother today.
“According to the certificates, his father, Beginda anak Minda has no religion while his mother, Angela anak Jabing is a Christian. So based on this, the boy was brought up as a Christian according to his mother’s religion,” he said.