Malaysia burial row fuels tension

The Islamic authorities in Malaysia are in dispute with the Hindu family of a man who committed suicide - with both sides claiming the body for burial.

It is the latest in a series of cases where against the wishes of families Muslim officials have seized remains of people they say converted to Islam.

The family of the man contest his conversion certificate but have been refused permission to collect his body.

The conversion disputes are straining relations with ethnic minorities.

Hindu rites

The 34-year-old man, Elangesvaran, hanged himself on Sunday.

His Hindu family have been prevented from collecting his body from the hospital.

They say the Islamic religious department informed them that Mr Elangesvaran had converted to Islam without their knowledge and therefore must now be given a Muslim burial.

But the family says the conversion certificate is just a letter with some scribbling on it that is allegedly by Mr Elangesvaran but could be anything because there is no signature or thumbprint and no witnesses.

The family have filed a court case in Penang asking for Mr Elangesvaran to be declared a Hindu and for his body to be handed over to them so it can be buried according to Hindu rites.

It is the latest in a series of conversion disputes straining ethnic relations in this predominately Muslim country.

Earlier this year Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said non-Muslims would have to tell their families before converting to Islam to avoid these arguments after death.

But the head of an interfaith group complained the government never followed up on the statement and yet again a man's dead body was being fought over by people who never knew him.

Non-Muslims make up about 40% of Malaysia's population and they complain that the Islamic authorities tend to assert their greater power over minorities when disputes arise.