GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian International Mediation Centre (MIMC) is pleased to engage with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Setia Dr Na'im Mokhtar and other stakeholders in the setting up of a mediation centre to resolve child custody disputes involving Muslims and non-Muslims.
MIMC chairman Datuk Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor said this was to ensure the initiative became a reality.
"MIMC welcomes and is in full support of the initiative.
"This is an ongoing, unresolved issue which has been long plaguing many Malaysian families.
"This issue had also indirectly affected communal harmony of the Malaysian public," he told the New Straits Times today.
Elaborating, Abdul Fareed said the minister's proposal and initiative should be commended and be supported by all stakeholders.
"This is the way forward to put an end to this inter-religious conundrum.
"As such, the MIMC is more than pleased to engage with (Datuk Dr) Na'im and other stakeholders in going forward with the initiative and making it a reality," he added.
The MIMC, the pioneer mediation body established in 1999 under the auspices of the Malaysia Bar, is a platform to resolve matters pertaining to child custody as it is strongly equipped with a well-experienced group of mediators.
MIMC's objectives include promoting mediation as an Alternative Dispute Resolution process and to provide a proper avenue for successful dispute resolutions.
It was reported that Na'im had proposed the setting up of a mediation centre to resolve child custody disputes involving Muslims and non-Muslims.
He said the mediation process, which should be informal, required a suitable platform for parties involved to resolve the matter outside of court.
His comment came in the wake of a viral video of a mother being separated from her nine-year-old child after the Kuantan High Court gave the father custody over the child through a habeas corpus order.
The couple was reported to be divorced.
The mother, who had embraced Islam, was said to have been taking care of the child.