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Malaysia Rules Muslim Man Can Convert to Christianity
Judge's landmark decision offers hope to Malay Christians amid Bible seizures and 'Allah' bans.
World Watch Monitor
Page 1 of 5
Malaysia Rules Muslim Man Can Convert to Christianity
John Ragai / Flickr
In a landmark ruling last week, a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam.
The judgment establishes a precedent in a country where religious conversions, particularly from Islam to Christianity, have been steeped in controversy. The verdict reaffirms the right of freedom of religion, guaranteed under Article 11 of Malaysia’s constitution.
Rooney Rebit, the plaintiff, argued that his belief in Jesus was a fundamental human right, and the High Court in Kuching, Sarawak state, agreed. The judge, Yew Ken Jie, said, “He is free to exercise his right of freedom to religion, and he chose Christianity.”
Rebit was born into a Christian family in 1975, but his parents converted to Islam when he was eight years old. His Muslim name was Azmi Mohamad Azam Shah.
In 1999, Rebit embraced Christianity and was baptized.
In her decision, Yew ruled that since Rebit was underage when he became a Muslim, he could not be considered an officially professed Muslim. But when he became a Christian at the age of 24, he was mature enough to make a conscious decision, she said.
Cases of conversion in Malaysia have been plagued by official dissension and charges of apostasy as Muslim authorities challenged verdicts by secular courts in Shari‘ah tribunals.
The most prominent suit involved Lina Joy, who converted from Islam to Christianity in 1998 at the age of 26. Her application to have her conversion legally recognized by Malaysian courts was rejected in 2007 when the high court said it did not have jurisdiction over religious matters.
Judge's landmark decision offers hope to Malay Christians amid Bible seizures and 'Allah' bans.
World Watch Monitor
Page 1 of 5
Malaysia Rules Muslim Man Can Convert to Christianity
John Ragai / Flickr
In a landmark ruling last week, a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam.
The judgment establishes a precedent in a country where religious conversions, particularly from Islam to Christianity, have been steeped in controversy. The verdict reaffirms the right of freedom of religion, guaranteed under Article 11 of Malaysia’s constitution.
Rooney Rebit, the plaintiff, argued that his belief in Jesus was a fundamental human right, and the High Court in Kuching, Sarawak state, agreed. The judge, Yew Ken Jie, said, “He is free to exercise his right of freedom to religion, and he chose Christianity.”
Rebit was born into a Christian family in 1975, but his parents converted to Islam when he was eight years old. His Muslim name was Azmi Mohamad Azam Shah.
In 1999, Rebit embraced Christianity and was baptized.
In her decision, Yew ruled that since Rebit was underage when he became a Muslim, he could not be considered an officially professed Muslim. But when he became a Christian at the age of 24, he was mature enough to make a conscious decision, she said.
Cases of conversion in Malaysia have been plagued by official dissension and charges of apostasy as Muslim authorities challenged verdicts by secular courts in Shari‘ah tribunals.
The most prominent suit involved Lina Joy, who converted from Islam to Christianity in 1998 at the age of 26. Her application to have her conversion legally recognized by Malaysian courts was rejected in 2007 when the high court said it did not have jurisdiction over religious matters.
