PAS MPs today said non-Muslims like Indira Gandhi were not the only ones to have suffered due to issues with the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 but Muslim converts too, have suffered.

Speaking at a press conference at Parliament, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, backed by 13 other PAS MPs, repeatedly declined to elaborate on the government's move to drop the proposed Section 88A from the amendments to the LRA.

Section 88A would have effectively put an end to the practice of a Muslim convert parent also converting a child and then seeking custody at the Syariah Courts, leading to a tussle between the Muslim and non-Muslim parent, and setting the civil and syariah courts on a collision course.

Takiyuddin said that the issue of Section 88A can be discussed later.

When pointed out that Indira had suffered for eight years, being engaged in a custody battle with her Muslim convert husband and was banking on Section 88A for a resolution, Takiyuddin said Muslim converts too, have suffered.

"You see, for the last 10 to 20 years, the mualaf (Muslim convert) also suffered. It is the same thing," he said.

Takiyuddin said Muslim converts suffered because of Section 51 of the LRA, which only allowed a non-Muslim to petition for divorce if the partner converts to Islam.

"Only the non-Muslim spouse can dissolve their marriage. So if the non-Muslim spouse doesn't go to the civil court then their marriage is left hanging," he said.

The amendments to the LRA which will go for a vote tonight will address this.

Specifically, the amendments to Section 51 will allow either spouse or both to petition for a divorce in the civil courts once one of them had converted to Islam.

However, PAS MPs are also not happy with this, as they insist the Muslim partner should seek a dissolution of marriage in the Syariah courts.

"The jurisdiction concerning the marriage and divorce of a Muslim should be with the syariah courts.

"When a spouse has converted to Islam, he becomes a Muslim.

"The amendment appears as if the Muslim convert will be forced to settle his marriage dissolution in the civil courts. It's a contradiction (with syariah jurisdiction)," he said.

For this reason, PAS is set to object the LRA amendment even though it is happy that the proposed Section 88A was scrapped.

The LRA amendment tonight was a re-tabled version after the government dropped the Section 88A on the advice of the attorney-general who suggested it would require a constitutional amendment.

In the absence of the proposed Section 88A, Takiyuddin proposed that a tribunal is set up to mediate the dispute between Muslim and non-Muslim spouses.

"We proposed that this is included in the amendment," he said.