Perlis unilateral conversion case: Loh's ex-husband dies

Summary

• Muhammad Nagahswaran Muniandy, the Muslim convert ex-husband of Hindu mother Loh Siew Hong, has died at age 38.

• The cause of his death is yet to be known.

• The death occurs amid a protracted legal battle over the unilateral conversion of their three children to Islam in 2020.

The Muslim convert ex-husband of Hindu mother Loh Siew Hong has died.

Free Malaysia Today quoted Loh’s lawyer, Shamsher Singh Thind, confirming the death of Muhammad Nagahswaran Muniandy, 38.

Nagahswaran reportedly died yesterday, and his cause of death is yet to be known.

Loh and Nagahswaran entered a civil marriage in 2008, but it broke down over allegations of domestic violence that saw her hospitalised. She filed for divorce in December 2019.

However, while she was recuperating from her injuries in a hospital, it was reported that Nagahswaran took their three children away and converted them on July 7, 2020.

In March 2021, Loh was granted sole custody, care, and control over the children, and they legally divorced in September of the same year.

In February 2022, Loh’s children, who were under the care of the Social Welfare Department, were released to their mother after the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed her habeas corpus application.

The Federal Court had in April last year ruled that both parents must consent to a child’s conversion, and confirmed that Loh’s children remained Hindus.

In April this year, the Federal Court denied the Perlis state government's review application linked to a bid to reinstate the Islamic status of Loh's three children.

The Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maips) and the state government wanted to set aside an earlier Court of Appeal ruling on Jan 10, which allowed Loh’s appeal to nullify the unilateral conversion of her 16-year-old twin daughters and her 13-year-old son, restoring their Hindu status as shown on their birth certificates.

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