I read with deep sorrow the plight faced by the four individuals who wanted to renounce their religion but at the end of the day were not allowed to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of religion.

My sorrow is further deepened by the court judgment on the two children whose father had unilaterally decided to convert them without the mother's knowledge despite the mother having interim custody of the children. The Federal Court could not even overturn the decision, saying this is not in their jurisdiction because the children are Muslim and it can only be decided in the Syariah courts. How does the court expect the mother to get any fairness in the Syariah courts being a non-Muslim?

Now the poor mother has reportedly left the country for fear of being prosecuted by a totally unacceptable law in this country. Where is her freedom and her constitutional rights?

Nowhere else in this world are we compelled by such obscure and outdated laws. Even in an Islamic country such as Indonesia, you are able to convert to another religion without the fear of being put behind bars. How nice it would be for further national integration if more and more people intermarried without fearing that you will need to renounce your religion should you want to marry a Muslim man or woman.

Freedom of religion must be practiced with greater trust by its congregations, and its existence depends on its religious leaders.