Zarina Abdullah Majid’s bid to change her religion from Islam to Hindu in her identity card will be referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Syariah Judiciary Department (JKSM), says Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He also revealed there was already a syariah court decision on the matter.

"I have seen the report by the National Registration Department (NRD) and also the decision by the Syariah Court.

"We will refer it to the JKSM and the Attorney-General's Chambers to decide whether we will accept Zarina Abdullah Majid's application," he told journalists in Cheras today.

Zarina, 32, who attempted to marry a Hindu man last Sunday, was taken away during her wedding by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) on suspicion that she was a Muslim.

She claimed she was registered as a Muslim by her father who had abandoned the family, and she was raised as a Hindu by her mother.

‘NRD will act professionally’

Ahmad Zahid promised that NRD will act professionally in the matter.

"As a government that cares about the religious and racial sensitivities in the country, we will abide by the legal advice of JKSM and Attorney-General's Chambers," he said.

In a related matter, Ahmad Zahid said he will instruct newly-minted NRD director-general Sulaiman Keling to look into the case involving a Chindian, Johann Lim Noordin.

According to Astro Awani, Johann, 32, claimed he has been a Buddhist all his life but was mistakenly registered as a Muslim.

He had said his birth certificate has his name as Johann Lim Noordin however his identity card states Johann Lim Noordin bin Billy Noordin.

"If his mother and father are non-Muslims, then that makes it much easier," said the home minister.

Previously, the NRD had asked Johann to seek a declaration from the Syariah Court that he was not a Muslim.

'I quit biking because of gangsters'

Earlier, Zahid officially opened Tabuan Motors, a sports bike shop, as well as the Tabuan Bikers Club.        

Zahid, who is the patron of the Superbikers Associaton of Malaysia, arrived at the event in a blue sports bike.

He later joked that he was "forced" to ride the bike by the organisers. "It's not my bike nor my helmet," he laughed.

"I am a retired biker ever since I became home minister on the advice of the police,” said Zahid.

"They were worried if I ride on a motorcycle, gangsters may shoot me down, so because of that, I have kept all my motorcycles in the garage."