A settlement was reached at the Shah Alam High Court this morning following the habeas corpus application filed by Karpal Singh on behalf of rubber tapper Marimuthu Periasamy for the release of his wife Raimah Bibi a/p Noordin and six children, Yoogneswary 12, Paramila 11, Hariharan 8, Ravindran 5, Shamala 5 and Keberan 4 from detention by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department since 2nd April 2007 on the ground that they were Muslims.
Periasamy has filed a supporting affidavit stating that he and his wife were at all material times of the Indian race and they practiced and professed the Hindu religion. They brought up their children in the Hindu religion and beliefs.
Their children were given Indian names and they had lived in peace without interruption even though they earn a modest living.
Things changed in the morning of 2nd April 2007 when seven officers acting on behalf of the Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) raided their residence in Kampung Baru Tambahan, Ulu Yang, Selangor, detaining his wife and six children and forcibly took them away from their house. Marimuthu was threatened with “khalwat” if he attempted to stop them.
When the Shah Alam High Court sat this morning, Karpal informed Justice Su Geok Yian that the habeas corpus application had been overtaken by events as a settlement has been reached with Raimah filing an affidavit that she remained a Muslim and that she has agreed that the six children be returned to the father to be brought up as Hindus – which is to be done later today. Raimah was in court and she confirmed the arrangement with Justice Su.
This is a sort of a solution to a very human problem affecting the parties concerned, although it is not a very happy arrangement as it leaves many issues open-ended which may cause problems in the future.
It is sad and tragic that a happy couple and united family with seven children as a result of 21 years of marriage should be broken up by religious factors when family unity and love should be the paramount concern of all religions.
Something is very wrong with our society and nation when a 21-year happy and united family could be broken up like the case of Marimuthu, Raimah and their seven children.
The authorities concerned, whether federal or state, should ensure that there will no more break-up of families because of religion, creating human tragedies, family disruptions and a bad international image of the country.
I told the media at the Shah Alam High court that we are prepared to render assistance in the Revathi case, in the form of support by Karpal for habeas corpus application.
Revathi Masoosai/Siti Fatimah’s 100-day detention for Islamic rehabilitation had been extended by the Malacca Syariah Court for another 80 days, and is forcibly separated from her husband, Suresh Veerapan and 15-month old baby.
The Suresh/Revathi case was the feature of an Al-Jazeera programme for a week.