Islamic legal perspectives conference

The School of Law and Justice at Southern Cross University will host an Islamic Legal Perspectives Conference on Thursday, July 26, at the Lord Byron Resort in Byron Bay.

“This international conference is of contemporary interest and has global dimensions as it showcases two regional Islamic law experts from Malaysia,” said Professor Bee Chen Goh, head of the School of Law and Justice and co-director, Centre for Peace and Social Justice.

The two Islamic law experts are husband-and-wife Professor Haji Sulaiman Abdullah (a past president of the Malaysian Bar) and Professor Mehrun Siraj (a former commissioner of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission), both of whom are Adjunct Professors of the International Islamic University in Malaysia.

Professor Haji Sulaiman is vocal on issues relating to Islam, human rights, the ‘rule of law’, and the dangers of globalisation and ‘Disneylandisation’.

Professor Mehrun has engaged in activities relating to human rights, especially the rights of women, children and people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as anti-corruption and planned parenthood issues.

At the conference they will speak on ‘Islamic Perspectives on Criminal Law’ and ‘Family Law’ respectively. There will be an afternoon forum for comparative critique, chaired by George Negus, host of the SBS ‘Dateline’ program and author of ‘The World From Islam’. Other forum participants are Mrs Jill Cowley and Mr Ralph James, from the School of Law and Justice at the University.

The conference will be opened by His Excellency
the Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic,
Mr Tammam Sulaiman.

The conference precedes the Byron Bay Writers Festival, of which Southern Cross University is a major sponsor. The festival runs from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29 and conference delegates who are interested in attending the festival will also receive a discounted pass at $145 for the 3-day period (normally $160).

On Friday at the festival, both Malaysian academics will be part of the panel discussion ‘In the name of God: the individual and religious law’ while on Saturday, Professor Goh will chair the discussion ‘Islam and the rights of women: a conversation across cultures’ featuring Professor Mehrun as a panel member.

For Islamic Legal Perspectives Conference bookings contact Sandra Underhill on 02 6620 3373 or email lawevents@scu.edu.au. Writers Festival information and tickets can be accessed at www.byronbaywritersfestival or by phoning 02 6685 6262.

Photo: Professor Bee Chen Goh.