M Moorthy's family should cease legal action to challenge the controversial Syariah Court decision that the Mount Everest hero had died a Muslim, said a Suhakam commissioner today.

"We must understand and respect the law of the nation. As far as religion is concerned, Islam is the official religion and the highest authority is the Syariah Court," commissioner N Siva Subramaniam said.

"Since the matter has been decided, I think all parties should forget about this and to get together (instead) - all problems of Malaysians should be settled through negotiations," he told reporters when met at the commission's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Siva said Suhakam, also known as the Human Rights Commission, "does not interfere" on matters that have been decided by the courts.

However, he said Moorthy's family could bring their plight to the commission.

"If they lodge a report to us, we can see whether human rights principles have been violated in this case. But whatever that have been said and done, the laws of the nation are important, everybody must follow the law, and there is a need for us to live together as a multi-racial society," he stressed.

Siva was asked to comment on the week-long legal tussle between Moorthy's family, who had insisted the former army commander died a practicing Hindu, and the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Council, which maintain that he had converted to Islam.

The Syariah Court had ruled that Moorthy was a Muslim last Thursday on an application by the religious council, while the family's attempt to seek a civil court review of the decision failed yesterday.

Moorthy's body was buried by the religious body at a Muslim cemetery in Kaula Lumpur yesterday.

Nevertheless, Moorthy's wife S Kaliammal has vowed to press on and challenge the decision in the appellate court.

Meeting with interfaith group

In the wake of the court decision, the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS) yesterday called for amendments into the federal constitution to allow the High Court to decide on cases of religious conversion.

Commenting on this, the Suhakam commissioner said: "If any law need to be amended, we have to look at it ... objectively because it not only affect one person. But I think the position taken by the authorities and the court should be respected."

He revealed that a delegation from the MCCBCHS met with Suhakam chief Abu Talib Othman 10 days ago and that the human rights commission had promised to study the recommendations made by the interfaith group.

Siva however added that the meeting was not related to Moorthy's case.

Moorthy, who died last Tuesday at the age of 36 from serious head injuries, was one of the 10 individuals in the Malaysia Everest team - two of whom reached the peak of the world's tallest mountain on May 23, 1997, the first Malaysians to achieve the feat.