C Ragu, 20, signed up for a course in a government-owned vocational institute in the hope that one day he would become a electrician.

In January last year, and just six months shy from graduating, strange and drastic events prevented him from completing his course.

He claims that back then, two Islamic teachers (ustaz) and an administrator from the institute had coerced him to sign documents to show that he had embraced Islam.

"I trusted them (and signed the papers) because an officer from the (institute's) administration was there," said Ragu, who is a practising Hindu like the rest of his family members.

Ragu recalled that he was in a practical wiring class when he was abruptly whisked away by the two ustaz and the administrator on Jan 26 last year for about three hours.

He was brought to the Selangor Islamic Council (Mais) in Kajang and where he was made to sign the documents and immediately given a new name Muhammad Ashraf Abdullah before one uztaz Rahman Siva.

"I was afraid at the time that they would fail me (if I did not sign the document)," added Ragu.

'Temporary document'

Ragu said the day of the incident was the first time he had met the two ustaz.

"Initially, some of my friends spoke to me about the goodness of Islam. They had later informed the ustaz about me. The ustaz then asked to see me in his office (on that day).

"They took me to take (a passport size) photo before bringing me to sign the documents... after it was over, they took me for lunch before sending me back to the institute. Not a word was said during the journey," said Ragu.

When contacted by Ragu later that night, his father went to pick him up and never to return to the institute.

The document signed by Ragu states that it was a temporary document ( below ), valid for six months, on the signatory's religious status pending the issuance of a permanent card. Ragu never received the card.

Together with his parents, a driver and housewife, Ragu had been trying in vain ever since to have the official status of his religion restored.

He had previously to lodged a police report at the Cheras district police headquarters and through a legal firm, sent several letters to Mais seeking to annul the declaration that he had embraced Islam.

On Feb 9 last year, Ragu also made a statutory declaration on the Jan 26 incident and that he was a Hindu.

In their latest attempt to resolve the matter, they had hand delivered another letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urging him to intervene in the matter yesterday.

Mais explains

Contacted today, Mais assistant religious propagation officer ( penolong pegawai dakwah ) Jauharul Mohd Tahuddin today confirmed that Ragu is indeed considered a Muslim.

In recalling Ragu's case, Jauharul said the former was accorded a standard 30-40 minute briefing to ensure that he understood what he was signing and that he did not embrace the religion under duress.

"We make effort to explain to new converts, but sometimes, they suddenly come back later to change their minds," said Jauharul when informed that Ragu had made a police report in 24 hours after the incident and a statutory declaration was made soon after.

He said the document which Ragu had signed was not valid for official purposes such as marriage and that the official card to prove that he was a convert was not issued.

"He has to attend a standard five-day course on Islam and only after that would he be issued a card after that," explained Jauharul.

On the religious status stated on Ragu's Mykad, he said the onus was on converts to update their religious status with the National Registration Department themselves.

The administrator from the institute, when contacted today and yesterday, declined comment other than that he would consult his 'boss'. Despite being asked twice, he did not specify who his 'boss' was.

PM urged to act

In the letter to Abdullah, human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar claimed that he had received numerous complaints of similar practices in other government-run learning institutions.

He said parents had sent their children to such institutions with the trust that they be returned to holding the same faith they were born and raised with.

"The National Service Programmes may also be of a serious concern to non-Muslim parents in the future.

"Our client's father for that matter has decided not to send any of his children for the National Service training as he has since lost confidence in the state authorities," wrote Uthayakumar.

On Ragu's 'conversion', Uthayakumar urged the Malaysian cabinet to intervene on the matter to ally fears of non-Muslim parents in sending their children to government-run educational institutions.

"We hope your good selves also see the fears and insecurity of the non-Muslim Indian and Chinese parents - 50 and 95 percent of whom choose to send their children to Tamil and Chinese primary schools respectively even after 50 years of independence," added Uthayakumar.

Contacted for clarification, Uthayakumar said those who had allegedly put pressure on Ragu were in violation of the Federal Constitution and the Education Act 1996

Article 12 (3) of the Federal Constitution states that no person shall be required to receive instruction in or to take part in any ceremony or act of worship of a religion other than his own.

Section 51 (b) of the Education Act 1996 states that no pupil shall attend teaching in a religion other than that which he professes except with the written consent of his parent.

"Parents send their children to educational institutions purely for education. If anything else, the institution must seek the parents consent and knowledge," said Uthayakumar.