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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pers<strong>on</strong>s due <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r causes. Therefore <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is no necessity <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> add this new sub-secti<strong>on</strong> as<br />
proposed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> AG Chambers.<br />
VII. Secti<strong>on</strong> 89<br />
Religi<strong>on</strong> of child up<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of fa<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
Proposed Amendment :<br />
89(1) An order for cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy may be made subject <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> such c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> court may think<br />
fit <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> impose and subject <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> such c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, if any. As may from time <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> time apply, shall<br />
entitle <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong> given cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> decide all questi<strong>on</strong>s relati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> upbringing and<br />
educati<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child.<br />
(2) Without prejudice <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> generality of sub-secti<strong>on</strong> (1), an order for cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy may –<br />
(a) c<strong>on</strong>tain c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s as <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> place where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> reside …. ;<br />
Provided that in deciding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> religi<strong>on</strong> in which he or she is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be brought up, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
court shall take in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>al law of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child.<br />
(b) provide for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be temporarily in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> care and c<strong>on</strong>trol of some o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
pers<strong>on</strong> ….<br />
(c) provide for a child <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> visit a parent deprived of cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy ….<br />
(d) give a parent …<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> right of access <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child…;<br />
(e) prohibit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong> given cus<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>dy from taking <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child out of Malaysia.<br />
Recommendati<strong>on</strong>:<br />
To amend <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>, “Provided that in deciding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> religi<strong>on</strong> in which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be brought<br />
up, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> court shall take in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>al law of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child at birth.”<br />
Comments :<br />
The AG’s Chambers in its notes explained that, “According <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> principle of c<strong>on</strong>flict of<br />
law, children are presumed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> religi<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fa<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r which under Jewish law, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
children are presumed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> religi<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r.”<br />
This presumpti<strong>on</strong> does not take in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> account <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fact that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> parent who attends <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> day<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> day needs of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child and spends quality time with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child is most likely <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> have <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
greatest influence over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child. It is also discrimina<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry in its effect. Given that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong> provides that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re shall be no discriminati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> basis of gender (see<br />
Article 8(2) of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>) and given that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> law provides that both parents shall<br />
have equal parental rights over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child (see Secti<strong>on</strong> 5 of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Guardianship of Infants Act<br />
1961) which includes <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> right <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> determine <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> religi<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child, such a presumpti<strong>on</strong> is<br />
untenable. To preserve and apply an archaic discrimina<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry presumpti<strong>on</strong> at law in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> face<br />
of Article 8(2) is unc<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al.<br />
A more equitable way of dealing with this issue is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> provide that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child’s religi<strong>on</strong> shall<br />
remain unchanged except with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sensus of both parents. The child shall <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n have <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
right <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> choose his or her religi<strong>on</strong> up<strong>on</strong> attaining 18 years of age.<br />
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