In a statement today, she said an informal cabinet panel had been set up to look into ways to resolve interfaith child custody conflicts between Muslim and non-Muslim parents.
She singled out MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity Joseph Kurup, MIC president Dr S Subramaniam, Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs Jamil Khir Baharom, who had been named as part of the cabinet task force.
The Kulai MP claimed Subramaniam had said in January last year that the prime minister had agreed in principle to consider amending the law to prevent children from being converted to another religion without the consent of both parents.
“So what has changed to cause the amendment bill to be withdrawn now?” she asked.
“Leaders of BN component parties cannot remain silent or they will be seen as agreeing to further jeopardise the rights of all single parents.”
Earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said announced the government’s decision to withdraw amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016.
She subsequently issued a statement saying Putrajaya would table fresh amendments to the bill tomorrow morning.
The new bill will be tabled without Clause 88A which stipulates that the religion of the child should remain the same despite the conversion of one of the parents.
Azalina said the amendments were necessary to avoid conflict with provisions in the Federal Constitution.
Pointing out that the second reading of the bill had now been deferred twice, Teo called upon BN component leaders to clarify the situation.
“Liow Tiong Lai, Joseph Kurup, S Subramaniam, Mah Siew Keong and the other leaders of BN component parties should explain if the withdrawal was discussed and agreed upon in the cabinet meeting, and if it was, why they agreed to it,” she said.