memorandum to the special select committee on penal code
memorandum to the special select committee on penal code
memorandum to the special select committee on penal code
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II. Secti<strong>on</strong> 3 & Secti<strong>on</strong> 51<br />
Applicability of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Act and Status of Marriage Up<strong>on</strong> C<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Islam<br />
Proposed Amendment :<br />
A. Secti<strong>on</strong> 3 - “This Act shall not apply <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a Muslim or <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> any pers<strong>on</strong> who is married<br />
under Islamic law ….but nothing herein shall be c<strong>on</strong>strued <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> prevent a court before which<br />
a petiti<strong>on</strong> for divorce has been made under Secti<strong>on</strong> 51 from granting a divorce <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
petiti<strong>on</strong> of ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r party <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a marriage where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r party has c<strong>on</strong>verted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Islam and<br />
such decree and any relief incidental <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> shall, notwithstanding any o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r written law<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>trary, be valid against <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> party <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> marriage who has so c<strong>on</strong>verted.”<br />
B. Secti<strong>on</strong> 51(1) – Where <strong>on</strong>e party <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a marriage has c<strong>on</strong>verted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Islam, ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r party may<br />
petiti<strong>on</strong> for divorce:”<br />
Recommendati<strong>on</strong> :<br />
To clarify <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> status of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil marriage up<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of a spouse. If ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r party may<br />
apply for divorce up<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>on</strong>e spouse, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n it follows that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil marriage<br />
subsists and remains valid up until <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> order for dissoluti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> said marriage is granted.<br />
This could be d<strong>on</strong>e by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> additi<strong>on</strong> of a new Secti<strong>on</strong> 3(3A) that, “A marriage solemnised<br />
under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Act shall remain valid notwithstanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r spouse <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Islam<br />
unless a decree of divorce is granted under this Act.”<br />
Comments :<br />
This clarificati<strong>on</strong> will ensure that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is no c<strong>on</strong>fusi<strong>on</strong> as <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> status of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil marriage<br />
up<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> and particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re shall be no derogati<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rights of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> parties <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
maintenance, cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> children of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> marriage and matrim<strong>on</strong>ial property even after<br />
c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>on</strong>e spouse unless a divorce is granted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil courts.<br />
It was previously assumed that <strong>on</strong>ce a pers<strong>on</strong> has c<strong>on</strong>verted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Islam, he (or she) loses his<br />
ability <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> seek any relief before a civil court in matters pertaining <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil marriage and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore Secti<strong>on</strong>s 3 and 51 were intended <strong>on</strong>ly for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefit of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> n<strong>on</strong>-c<strong>on</strong>verting<br />
spouse. This view cannot be supported under a dual system of law. A marriage that is<br />
solemnised pursuant <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 can <strong>on</strong>ly be<br />
dissolved under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same laws. Ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r party <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> said marriage <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore should be given<br />
access <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil courts <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> dissolve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> marriage as well as seek any relief incidental<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> e.g. cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy, maintenance and divisi<strong>on</strong> of matrim<strong>on</strong>ial property.<br />
Where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> jurisdicti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> seek divorce and ancillary relief is granted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil courts,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n such jurisdicti<strong>on</strong> should be made exclusive in order <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> avoid c<strong>on</strong>flict of laws and<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tradic<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry decisi<strong>on</strong>s from two separate courts i.e. <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> syariah court and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil court.<br />
It is undesirable that parties be allowed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> submit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same applicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> both courts<br />
simultaneously (“forum-shopping”).<br />
In fact, we would even go so far as <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> say that unless and until <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> parties have resolved all<br />
matters pertaining <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> said marriage, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y should not be allowed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> enter in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />
marriage. This would ensure that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> existing family is protected and all provisi<strong>on</strong>s are<br />
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