Kula is also the lawyer for kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi, who has fought a legal battle since 2009 over the unilateral conversion of her three children and sought the return of her daughter, taken away by her former husband when she was then 11 months old.
He suggested that the Federal Government also look into cases of “body snatching” of the past and bring appropriate amendments to resolve the uncertainty and confusion that arose upon the death of a person.
“The Federal Government should not address the above issues in an ad hoc manner with piecemeal legislations. A compressive and in-depth study should be done to facilitate the tabling of the amendments
“We hope that the necessary comprehensive amendment bills to address the above issues could be sent to all MPs as soon as possible for us to prepare and debate it fruitfully,” said Kula, who is MP for Ipoh Barat.
He welcomed the assurance by de facto law minister Nancy Shukri and MIC president Dr S Subramaniam that the necessary amendments would be tabled in Parliament in March.
He said many non-Muslims like Indira Gandhi and their families would not have suffered so much had the Federal Government kept its promise to introduce the amendments back in 2009.
“There are many families and young children who have been caught by the unilateral conversions dilemma and are suffering in silence. Many cannot take their case to court as its costly and will take years for an outcome, if any, like in Indira Gandhi’s matter.
“There are also cases where only upon death the family finds out that the deceased has converted to another religion,” citing the infamous case of national hero M Moorthy.
Moorthy was a Hindu when he rose to fame as a member of the first Malaysian expedition to scale Mount Everest.
On his death, however, the Syariah Court declared he had converted to Islam which was disputed by his wife. Subsequently he was buried in a Muslim cemetery.
“This form of body snatching causes much pain and suffering to the family and relations of the deceased,” said Kula.
In solidarity with Indira Gandhi a women’s group, Perak Women for Women, will organise a Walk at the Polo Ground in Ipoh at 4.30pm today.
Kula urged Malaysians to attend it in a show of moral support for a mother who had been separated from her own child for seven years.
Participants have been urged to come dressed in black.
Kula also urged Malaysians to donate to a special fund to help ease Indira Gandhi’s financial burden, including the costs of education of her children and legal expenses.