DAP will stand by the decision of the Selangor assembly speaker who blocked a unilateral conversion bill from being tabled for debate.

The party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today that their stand on the conversion of minors to Islam is that it can only be made with the consent of both parents.

“Our stand is very clear. We adhere to the federal constitution and the Federal Court’s ruling where the conversion of a minor must be agreed to by both parents,” he was reported as saying.

“We must respect the protection given (to the minors as enshrined in) the federal constitution.”

Lim, who is also finance minister, was responding to a question raised on a potential political storm brewing in the Selangor assembly where Speaker Ng Suee Lim was said to have blocked a unilateral conversion bill from being tabled for debate.

Ng also reportedly refused to sign a document regarding the amendment.

Lim today dismissed speculation that Ng faces a risk of being removed as speaker.

“We will defend our speaker in Selangor. There is no problem at all,” he was reported as saying.

Lawyers told news portal Malaysiakini the plan to push through amendments and enable unilateral conversion in Selangor will be unenforceable, as it was a Federal Court ruling pertaining to the constitutionality of unilaterally converting minors to Islam would supersede any state law.

At present, the Selangor enactment reads that those below 18 must obtain the consent of his or her “mother and father” before embracing Islam. The amendment seeks to change this to “mother or father”.

Malaysiakini had also reported that the amendment had been mooted by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) with the backing from the Selangor palace.

However, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari faced objections from within his executive council, as well as among state backbenchers on the issue.

Amirudin is expected to meet Selangor Pakatan Harapan leaders at his official residence in Shah Alam this evening and later attend a dinner with the state chapter of PKR. – August 8, 2019.