Penang apologises over body-snatching incident
The Malaysian Insider – 1 hour 24 minutes agoRELATED CONTENT
- Penang apologises over body-snatching incident
Penang religious exco Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim today apologised for the manner in which the remains of a "Muslim convert" was taken from her family by state religious department officers on the day of her funeral.
Malik, however, maintained that the Penang Islamic Religious Department (JHEAIPP), which is under the state government, had proof that the deceased woman, Teoh Cheng Cheng, 38, was a Muslim.
"On behalf of JHEAIPP, we apologise to the family over the action taken by the department, which was deemed insensitive to the customs and feelings of her family, especially during such a difficult time.
"We should had been more considerate of their feelings, namely Teoh's mother, Tan Mah Suan," he said after a state exco meeting in Komtar.
Malik, who was in Kuala Lumpur for a meeting during the incident on Monday, said he only found out that such a thing had taken place when reporters called him for comments later that afternoon.
He said it was customary for the officer in charge to first consult the department director, enforcement division, the state mufti and the district religious officer before taking such an action.
He said the officer was hard-pressed that day when he was informed that Teoh was a Muslim at around noon, which was also when the funeral procession was about to take place.
Teoh's body was scheduled to be cremated according to Taoist rites on Monday afternoon when her body was taken away by the department.
"It was a difficult situation because of the circumstances. The officer was pressed for time. He checked the records and found that Teoh had converted.
"But that is also not an excuse. The officer met me to explain and he also apologised. I will make sure that the department will be more careful and professional in future when handling such cases. I promise it will not happen again," he said.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also expressed the state government's disappointment that the matter was handled poorly.
He said it was insensitive of the department and the incident tarnished the state's image.
"The family has the right to seek legal redress," he said.
It was reported that Teoh, a mother of four, died last Saturday after she committed suicide by hanging at her home in Lebuh Macallum, George Town, following an argument with her long-time Muslim boyfriend.
Before her body was taken to be buried, her family held a three-day wake according to Taoist rites. Her mother insisted that Teoh was never a Muslim and had been a practising Buddhist all the while.
Teoh's family is getting legal services from lawyers Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh Deo and S. Raveentharan.
Meanwhile, Teoh's daughter Medelyn has filed an application for an order to check the deceased's religion under the state Islamic Administration Enactment at the Penang Shariah High Court.
The Penang Religious Council (Maipp), the body with local standi in the case, has been named the defendant.
The case is being mentioned today. Medelyn's lawyer Wan Faridulhadi Mohd Yusoff told reporters this morning that Teoh never converted.
He said her boyfriend revealed that Teoh applied to convert in 1997 when they were planning to marry but she never performed the 'sya'adah' (proclamation of faith).
The case is currently being heard behind closed doors. Reporters were told to wait outside by the court interpreter, who said it was at the family's request. – June 11, 2014.
