We, a group of Christian women, would like to express our grave concern on the passing of the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Act 2005, as well as the manner in which the Act was so hurriedly passed. We are concerned about the impact this Act (now only temporarily suspended) will have in widening the existing unequal status of women and men in Malaysian society.

This attempt at amending the Islamic Family Law has further discriminated against Muslim women at a time when the government has amended civil laws to recognise equal rights between women and men of other faiths. Women of other faiths have begun to enjoy equal rights in marriage and divorce, in guardianship of their children and in inheritance through a series of law reforms since the 1990s.

We request the government not to gazette and enforce the Act, pending further consultation. We urge the government to immediately deal with the concerns raised by those directly affected. This would be in line with the prime minister's assurance at the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting in May 2005 that the laws and regulations of this country will not discriminate against women.

We also request that a moratorium be put on the application of the law for states that have already gazetted the law.

We support the call by Sisters in Islam, as part of the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality, for a new Muslim Family Law based on the principles of justice and equality. This is essential to deal with the realities of changing times and circumstances affecting Muslim men, women and the family institution in Malaysia today.

We call for the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee to hold public hearings in all the states to obtain feedback from women on their experience with the syariah system. This would enable the public, and specifically Muslim women, to participate democratically in the process of decision-making on a law that governs their personal lives.