Unilateral conversion: Family Court judge to interview Loh’s 3 kids

The Family Civil Court will be interviewing the three unilaterally converted children of single mother Loh Siew Hong this afternoon.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz informed the lawyers of Loh, as well as her estranged Muslim convert husband Muhammad Nagahswaean Muniandy, and the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Etiquette Council (Maips).

Today was the hearing of Maips’ application to vary the custody order granted to Loh so that the Perlis state Islamic body could provide Islamic education to the children - twin daughters aged 15 and an 11-year-old boy.

The parties locked in the interfaith legal battle are tussling over whether the children wish to remain in Islam or revert to their original faith.

"It is better for me to interview the children. Are they here?" Hayatul asked J Gunamalar, Malcom Fernandez, and Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, the lawyers for Loh, Muhammad, and Maips respectively.

Gunamalar then informed the court that the children were in school, attending classes in the morning session.

"Can you bring the children to see me for an interview this afternoon?" Hayatul asked, to which Gunamalar said that can be arranged.

The three children are currently under the custody of Loh, who was present in the Family Civil Court.

On June 15 last year, the Family Civil Court denied Maips' application to intervene in the custody case involving three children.

However, on Feb 7, the Court of Appeal allowed Maips’ appeal to intervene in the custody case so that the state Islamic body would have legal standing to apply to vary the custody order of the three children.

Maips seeks a variation of the civil court custody order so that the council could provide Islamic education to the children while being under their non-Muslim mother’s care.

The court today is currently presiding over the hearing of oral submissions from legal practitioners on Maips' bid to vary the custody order.

In the divorce petition, Loh, 35, was granted sole custody, care, and control over the children from Muhammad, 35, in 2021.

However, in 2019, it was reported the father took the three children away while Loh was hospitalised with injuries - which she alleged he had inflicted.

It was contended that Muhammad on July 7, 2020, embraced Islam and converted the three children to the faith without Loh's consent.

On Feb 21 last year, Loh’s children, who were under the care of the Social Welfare Department, were released to their mother after the High Court allowed her habeas corpus application.

One hour interview

Meanwhile, later this afternoon, Hayatul took around an hour to interview Loh's three children in her chambers.

The judge took half an hour with one of the twin girls, with the remaining kids taking around 15 minutes each.

After hearing further oral submissions from the parties, Hayatul then set Oct 11, at 2.30pm, to deliver her decision on Maips' application to vary the custody over.

Loh also has a pending Court of Appeal hearing on Oct 19 over her appeal in her judicial review to nullify her children’s conversion.

The children are currently living with Loh, who is currently running a catering business in the Klang Valley.

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