SEVERAL non-governmental organisations (NGO) will be lodging a police report against a Muslim convert NGO Hidayah Centre Foundation and one of its operators, Nazirah Nanthakumar, for allegedly converting Loh Siew Hong’s children without both parents’ consent.
“I was informed that this lady goes around seeking broken families in an attempt to convert them. Is this how we promote the Keluarga Malaysia concept?” Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P. Ramasamy queried when contacted by FocusM.
Yesterday, The Malay Mail Online reported that Loh has been reunited with her three children following intervention from the Perlis police.
However, Loh decided to allow the Perlis Welfare Department to take care of her children temporarily until Feb 21 pending the outcome of a habeas corpus application filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
“I have not seen them for three years and they were reluctant to follow me initially. They were worried that their father might harm himself in prison if they were to follow me home,” Loh was reported as saying.
“I didn’t want to further traumatise them but when I talked to them alone again, they were already crying and saying they are willing to go home with me,”
Following her divorce from her ex-husband, Loh learnt that her children were sent to an NGO for Muslim converts. After initially refusing to allow the mother to see her children, the woman at the NGO reportedly contacted Loh after she lodged a police report and told Loh to meet her and the children in Perlis.
Bagan Dalam state assemblyperson Satees Muniandy and Tamilar Kural Malaysia president David Marshel – who had assisted Loh with the police report – were also present at the Kangar police district headquarters with Loh.
Unlawful conduct, breach of Federal Court ruling
Satees added that officials from Perlis Welfare Department and Perlis Religious Department were present as well, with the religious department official displaying documents purportedly showing the children had been converted to Islam.
“The conversion documents were prepared and witnessed by the woman who had been hiding the children from their mother and refused to let her talk to them,” Satees was quoted as saying.
Touching on the matter, Ramasamy alleged that it was Nazirah who had handed the children to the Perlis religious department after their father placed the kids under her care.
“In any case, it is illegal to convert any child without the consent from both parents as per the ruling by the Federal Court. Plus, why was the Perlis religious department keeping the children anyway?” an irate Ramasamy questioned. – Feb 15, 2022.
Main photo credit: Malay Mail
