Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian court on Monday dismissed a review petition filed by a Sikh family against a civil court's decision not to release the body of one of its members for the cremation according to Sikh faith.
Dismissing the plea filed by the family of deceased art director Mohan Singh, High Court judge Rosnani Saub said since she made a finding that Singh's conversion papers proved that he had become a Muslim in 1992, the Islamic Sharia court should therefore, have the jurisdiction to determine whether he was still a Muslim or otherwise, at the time of his death.
"This court has no jurisdiction over the matter," she said.
Singh died on May 24 of a heart attack at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. On May 26, the hospital refused to release his body to his family to be cremated according to Sikh rites as Islamic officials said Singh had converted to Islam in 1992.
Singh's family has been turning to courts to get the body for funeral. However, the hospital has declined since apparently Singh had converted to Islam. His family members have dismissed it saying he was a practicing Sikh.
The fact that Singh's lifestyle and conduct was inconsistent of a Muslim convert, did not alter his status as a Muslim in the eyes of the existing laws, Rosnani added.