DAP raps top cop for ruling out probe into Muslim convert who abducted son

The Inspector-General of Police (pic) came under heavy fire today for saying that the police will not investigate a Muslim convert who abducted his son from his ex-wife on Wednesday.

Ipoh Barat MP M. Kula Segaran said Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was duty-bound to act against Izwan Abdullah, formerly known as N. Viran, who abducted his six-year-old son Mithran.

"Khalid must act on this case because it is a case of clear-cut abduction," Kula said in a statement today.

"If Khalid is unclear about the issue, then he should seek advice from Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz," he said.

Nazri, who was the former law minister, said that the abduction of six-year-old Mithran by Izwan was a clear cut case of kidnapping.

"This is abduction. It should never have happened. Let's not lose sight of context," Nazri said, according to media reports.

"If Khalid is not prepared to carry out his duty, then he should tender his resignation immediately," Kula said.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang too said Khalid should step down if he was not prepared to uphold the law and enforce the High Court order.

“The failure and refusal of the Inspector-General of Police to uphold the law and to ignore the Seremban child abduction case is the height of irresponsibility for the top policeman in the country,” the Gelang Patah MP said in a statement.

Lim said he agreed with Nazri that Khalid was mistaken in thinking shariah law allowed a Muslim convert to abduct his child after losing custody to the mother, and that the father was clearly wrong to have taken his son without his estranged wife's permission as the High Court had given her custody of their two children.

Khalid earlier said that the police would not act on the report lodged by Izwan's ex-wife, S. Deepa, citing two court orders awarding the respective parents custody.

"In this case, there are two courts orders. One from the Kuala Lumpur High Court and the other from the Shariah High Court," Khalid said.

"So I feel it is better for both sides to solve the matter first."

His comments have earned him criticism from various quarters, including Nazri.

Kula said that in 2009, he raised the issue of conversion into Islam in Parliament as the non-converting party suffered without much remedy available.

"A high-level cabinet committee was formed and Nazri later stated that the children of conversion would be raised up in the religion prior to conversion," Kula said.

However, it has been five years since Nazri's statement and nothing much has taken place, said Kula.

"Putrajaya lacks the political will to introduce a permanent solution to this matter and parties suffer as a result of conversion of religion," he said.

Kula cited the case of M. Indira Gandhi, whose husband converted to Islam and subsequently converted their three children before claiming custody over them at the Shariah Court.

"I had in March 2010 called on Malaysian lawmakers to address the issues resulting from conversions into Islam," Kula said.

In a case that is similar to Deepa’s, when Indira won custody of the children at the Ipoh High Court, the Shariah court granted her husband K. Pathmanathan, or Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, custody of the children.

"The parallel system of laws in Malaysia has resulted in a legal limbo between the shariah and civil courts.

"Too many children have and will continue to be victimised by tussles between the two sets of laws," Kula said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) also criticised Khalid for his comments, saying that Deepa had been assaulted and injured in the abduction.

"Would Khalid say the same thing if the court order had been reversed and the Hindu mother had carried out the kidnapping?" said MIPAS secretary-general S. Barathidasan.

Barathidasan questioned which was the supreme court of Malaysia, the civil or the shariah court?

"The police have no special squad set up yet to deal with shariah offences. So which orders do they follow… the civil or the shariah court?

"Is the police only for Muslims first?" he said, adding that the police have to be more professional and efficient.

"Have the police failed to act against Izwan because he is a Muslim? He has abducted Deepa's children and assaulted her, and his actions are also in contempt of court," he said.

Izwan on Wednesday visited his ex-wife's house in Jelebu, Negri Sembilan, and abducted his son, Mithran.

Deepa, however, attempted to rescue her son and was injured after being assaulted by her ex-husband.

Deepa had won custody of her children, Mithran and Sharmila, when the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled in her favour on Monday. – April 12, 2014.