Appeals court lets MAIWP strike out man’s bid to change religion from Islam to Sikhism

The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya has granted appeals by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and the government to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Shehzad Malik Muhammad Sarwar Malik, who challenged his religious status.

The panel of three judges concluded that the Civil Court lacks jurisdiction in this matter, as it pertains to a renunciation case that should be handled by the Syariah Court.

Despite objections from Shehzad Malik's legal representatives, the court deemed the appeals by MAIWP and the government as competent.

Shehzad Malik initially filed the suit to change his recorded religious status to Sikh and amend his name accordingly, after being raised in a Sikh household.

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 25 — The Court of Appeal today allowed appeals by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and the government to strike out a man’s suit challenging his religious status.

The three-judge panel comprising Justices Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril, Datuk Faizah Jamaludin and Datuk Meor Hashimi Abdul Hamid ruled that Shehzad Malik Muhammad Sarwar Malik’s case was a renunciation case and the relief he is seeking could only be granted by the Syariah Court.

“The respondent (Shehzad Malik) here cannot come to the Civil Court as the Civil Court has no jurisdiction to grant the orders,” said Justice Mohd Firuz, who delivered the unanimous decision.

He further said the court took the view that the respondent was legally identified as a person professing the religion of Islam, and the fact that he might not believe in the Islamic faith and did not practise Islamic teaching was irrelevant.

Earlier, the panel dismissed a preliminary objection raised by Shehzad Malik’s counsel contending that the appeals brought by MAIWP and the government were not proper before the court and should be struck out.

Justice Mohd Firuz held that the appeals are competent.

Shedzad Malik filed the originating summons in December 2023, claiming that at the time of his birth in June 1996, his parents professed the religion of Islam, but his mother had raised him as a Sikh.

He said that after his mother died in 2007, he was raised by his uncle, who also professed and practised Sikhism.

He is seeking a court declaration that his religious status according to the National Registration Department’s record be “amended and corrected” to Sikh instead of Islam, and that his name be changed from Shehzad Malik bin Muhammad Sarwar Malik to Bilawal Singh Bhutter.

On Oct 24 last year, the High Court dismissed MAIWP and the government’s applications to strike out the originating summons, prompting them to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

During the proceedings, lawyers Ahmad Kamal Abu Bakar and Arik Zakri Abdul Kadir represented MAIWP while Senior Federal Counsel Husniyyah Hanapi appeared for the government. Lawyers Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal and Amanda Sonia Mathew represented Shedzad Malik. — Bernama

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布城上诉法院批准了联邦直辖区伊斯兰宗教理事会 (MAIWP) 和政府的上诉，驳回了谢赫扎德·马利克·穆罕默德·萨尔瓦尔·马利克提起的诉讼，该诉讼质疑他的宗教身份。

由三名法官组成的小组认为，民事法院对此事没有管辖权，因为此事涉及放弃信仰的案件，应该由伊斯兰教法庭处理。

尽管谢赫扎德·马利克的法律代表提出反对，但法院认为MAIWP和政府的上诉是合理的。

谢赫扎德·马利克最初提起诉讼，是为了将他登记的宗教身份改为锡克教，并相应地修改他的名字，因为他是在锡克教家庭长大的。

布城，9月25日讯——上诉法院今日批准了联邦直辖区伊斯兰宗教理事会（MAIWP）和政府的上诉，驳回了一名男子对其宗教身份提出质疑的诉讼。

由法官拿督斯里莫哈末菲鲁兹贾夫里尔、拿督法扎贾马鲁丁和拿督梅奥哈希米阿卜杜勒哈米德组成的三名法官小组裁定，谢扎德马利克穆罕默德萨瓦尔马利克的案件是放弃案件，他所寻求的救济只能由伊斯兰法庭批准。

“本案被告（Shehzad Malik）不能向民事法庭提起诉讼，因为民事法庭没有管辖权颁布此类命令，”法官 Mohd Firuz 宣读了一致通过的判决。

他还表示，法院认为，被告在法律上被认定为信奉伊斯兰教的人，而他是否信仰伊斯兰教以及是否实践伊斯兰教义，都无关紧要。

此前，该小组驳回了谢赫扎德·马利克律师提出的初步反对意见，该律师认为 MAIWP 和政府提出的上诉不符合法院的管辖范围，应该予以驳回。

莫哈末·菲鲁兹法官认为上诉有效。

谢扎德·马利克于 2023 年 12 月提交了起诉状，声称在他 1996 年 6 月出生时，他的父母信奉伊斯兰教，但他的母亲把他抚养成了锡克教徒。

他说，他的母亲于 2007 年去世后，他由叔叔抚养长大，他的叔叔也信奉锡克教。

他请求法院宣布，根据国民登记部门的记录，他的宗教信仰身份应“修改和更正”为锡克教徒而不是伊斯兰教，并且他的名字应从 Shehzad Malik bin Muhammad Sarwar Malik 改为 Bilawal Singh Bhutter。

去年 10 月 24 日，高等法院驳回了 MAIWP 和政府撤销原诉传票的申请，促使他们向上诉法院提出上诉。

在诉讼过程中，律师 Ahmad Kamal Abu Bakar 和 Arik Zakri Abdul Kadir 代表 MAIWP，而高级联邦法律顾问 Husniyyah Hanapi 则代表政府出庭。律师 Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal 和 Amanda Sonia Mathew 代表 Shedzad Malik。 — 马新社

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