RELIGIOUS preacher Firdaus Wong recently courted controversy when he uploaded a video on TikTok showing him engaging in a question-and-answer session at an event, where a man had asked him what to do when underaged non-Muslim teens want to embrace Islam.
To this, Firdaus said the teenagers should be welcomed to Islam but their conversion must not be registered nor announced. He also shared some advice on how teenagers can practise Islam discreetly so they can keep it a secret from others.
Responding to this, Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) president S. Shashi Kumar had raised concerns about such activities, which he said ignores the right of parents to determine the religion of their children who are under the age of 18.
Penang mufti Datuk Seri Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor has called on parties involved in the alleged or attempted to convert non-Muslim school students to Islam to consult legal experts as each state has their own legal advisers or experts.
What has been said about this matter only brings apprehension and agony to parents who are only sending their children to school to study and not to be converted to any other religions while they are underage and under their care.
No logical and rational human being will allow, agree or accept such a thing, even more so if these occur in a school or premises associated with learning.
What a person wants to do after reaching maturity is their own choice, be it to convert or exit any religion. Unfortunately (or fortunately) in all religions but Islam, anybody has the freedom to enter or exit.
Therefore, the government must understand the fear and apprehension of the non-Muslim parents who send their children to school to study only to get converted secretly.
The government must look at this issue which is unfolding. There is also a possibility that this issue had been dormant earlier but the TikTok video had all but revived it.
For the sake of peace, unity and the security of the nation, the government needs to look into the matter by legislating laws or policies to prevent such ill-intended practices on innocent souls.
Malaysia was born on the premises of the Federal Constitution which protects all citizens under the banner of “unity in diversity” but not “unity in uniformity”.
If the government is serious about the peace and security of this beloved nation, let there be no stones unturned. – June 10, 2024
K. Tamil Maran (K.T. Maran)
Seremban
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main pic credit: Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH
