PAS man offers to help reunite Indira with daughter

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PAS man offers to help reunite Indira with daughter

5 hours ago
Kirthana Arumugam

Zaharudin Muhammad says the legal and religious aspects of the case have long been settled, and that the matter should now be approached from a humanitarian and familial perspective

M Indira Gandhi (second right) with Sungai Buloh PAS chief Zaharudin Muhammad (far left) at a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

PETALING JAYA: A PAS leader today offered to act as an intermediary to help reunite M Indira Gandhi with her daughter, Prasana Diksa, whom she has not seen for nearly 17 years.

Speaking at a press conference, Sungai Buloh PAS chief Zaharudin Muhammad said the legal and religious aspects of the case had long been settled, and that the matter should now be approached from a humanitarian and familial perspective.

He said his priority was to facilitate a meeting, in his personal capacity, between Indira and her daughter, and that Islam did not justify separating a mother from her child.


“I am prepared to act as an intermediary. I urge Indira’s child, Prasana, or her father, Ridzuan, to contact me.

“What matters the most is that I help a mother meet her child again. I have promised Indira that I will work towards this,” he said.


Also present at the press conference were rights lawyer Latheefa Koya, as well as activists Rafidah Ibrahim and Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah, also known as Ratu Naga.

Apart from Prasana and Ridzuan Abdullah, Indira’s former husband, Zaharudin also urged anyone with information on the girl’s whereabouts to contact him so that discussions could take place.

He said that in this matter, the issue of the child’s religion would not be broached.

“This is about being humane, which is central to Islamic values. Islam does not permit the separation of a mother and child on the basis of religion,” he added.


Riduan has been the subject of an arrest warrant since 2018 for failing to return Prasana to Indira after losing a legal battle over custody and the religious conversion of their children.

He had converted the couple’s three children to Islam in 2009 without Indira’s consent and sought custody through the shariah court.

On Jan 29, 2018, the Federal Court ruled that the conversions were null and void, and ordered the inspector-general of police to arrest Riduan for defying the High Court’s directive to return Prasana.

The Ipoh High Court last month ordered the police to widen the search for Riduan, with Justice Norsharidah Awang saying it should be extended across the entire country.

Earlier this month, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said he had assured Indira that the police remained committed to finding her daughter.

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I have a bad feeling deep down in my tummy - coz' I don't trust any PAS people (not since DSNK passed away, al Fatihah). For a PAS bloke to be so willing to facilitate such a meeting, my suspicion is Indira's daughter Prasana Diksa might have grown up with a set attitude now that she won't want her mum anymore - can't blame her as she has been kept by her father's side for aeons, hence the PAS bloke's confidence, but it'll break Indira's heart. 😪😪😪💔💔💔