Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this

As I was watching Michael Jackson's memorial service on Tuesday, we had a discussion at home about what would have happened if he had died in Malaysia.

The memorial service was grandly celebrated showing off his life and his contributions.

But since it has been reported that the King of Pop had converted to Islam in 2008, his death if it had taken place here, would have been very different.

Hospital officials are obliged to inform the religious authorities of whichever state he died about his death. Then the authorities will come to the hospital to claim his body and will most probably refuse the right of his family members to have such a memorial.

They will never wait another day to bury his body unless the family members get a stay order from the court. But again, the religious authorities will go to the Syariah Court and get the go ahead order. They will produce all the papers to proof that he was a Muslim now.

Michael Jackson might have just attended a church service a week ago, but of course that doesn't matter. Whether or not he lived as a Muslim when he was alive is not the question here, he has to be buried as a Muslim because he has converted.

Well, don't ask me what is the rational, because I will be asking the same question myself.

The conclusion here is, the family can't have the memorial service, Lionel Richie can't sing the song 'Jesus Is Love' and the pastor will surely won't have the opportunity to say any prayers.

I believe the readers of this article would understand the 'what if MJ had died in Malaysia' situation if they had been following all the body-snatching incidents in this country.


Please join the Malaysiakini WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news and views that matter.

ADS