The Lina Joy's case

The Federal Court will deliver its decision on the Lina Joy case on Wednesday May 30. All lawyers representing each and every parties including the Bar Council, MCCBCHS, Religious authorities were informed. I'm now giving a background on the case so that you can pray and ask the Lord for a direction. This decision will be the first decision direct on point on whether a muslim can convert out of the religion, in this case, to a Christian. Just a brief fact and points of law for the court to decide are set below for your reading.

Lina, 42, who was named Azlina Jailani decided at the age of 26 to become a Christian. In 1999, she managed to change the name in her identity card to Lina Joy but her religion remained stated as Islam. As a result, Lina contended that she could not contract a legitimate marriage with her non-Muslim boyfriend.

In July last year, the Federal Court comprising Ahmad Fairuz and Justices Richard Malanjum and Alauddin Mohd Sheriff heard submissions from the parties on the following questions which leave was earlier granted last April by Ahmad Fairuz and Justices Richard Malanjum and S. Augustine Paul:

• whether she needed to prove apostasy on her part before the word “Islam’’ could be deleted from her IC;
• whether National Registration Department had correctly construed its powers to impose the requirement on Lina when it was not expressly provided for under National Registration Regulations; and
• whether the Syariah Court is the sole authority to decide on the issue of conversion out of Islam.

Let us all pray for a good and fair decision.