Penang MIC Youth has called on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to show his authority in protecting the rights of the non-Malays in the ‘body snatching' case of 64-year-old M Nagamah.

Its chief J Dhinagaran said Lim should not allow Penang Islamic Affairs Department (JAIPP) to hold the state government for ransom.

jaipp body snatching 220812"Lim Guan Eng should direct the JAIPP to provide a standard operating procedure that has to be strictly adhered to ensure that there is no recurrence of another body hijacking in future," Dhinagaran said in a statement today.

His statement followed 18 police reports against JAIPP by Hindus in the state who accused the department of snatching the ashes of Nagamah body, which had been cremated, on Aug 14 without proper evidence to prove that Nagamah had been a Muslim.

However, this afternoon, the South Seberang Perai (SPS) Religious Department provided documents to show Nagamah's conversion to Islam in November 2006. Her Muslim name was given as Maria Abdullah.

According to Dhinagaran, JAIPP's action of ‘stealing' Nagamah's ashes, without any regard for the process of the law, has caused tension among the Indian community in Malaysia.

"We want JAIPP to explain the rationale for its strong action and what it intends to do with the remains of the late Nagamah," he said.
 
Why are Pakatan's Indian leaders silent?

He said it was state executive councillor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim's responsibility to explain JAIPP's action to the Penang Indian community, since Abdul Malik was in charge of Islamic affairs in the state.

The MIC Youth wing also questioned why Pakatan's Indian leaders in Penang have been keeping quiet about this case.

"It seems these leaders are so busy securing their seats for the coming general election that they have forgotten the Indian issues," Dhinagaran said.

This is not Malaysia's first case involving ‘body snatching' by religious authorities in recent time. The body of Lawrence Selvananthan, 33, was also taken away by the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Affairs Department (JHEINS) in September last year. 


Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/207024