By this application, the plaintiff is asking for the following declaration:

(1) That the conversion of the plaintiffs wife Olwen Patricia Pedley

nee Newman [commat] Mahani Newman bte Abdullah to Islam on 12

January 1987 has not determined his marriage to her according to

Catholic rites on 12 February 1966.

(2) That the continued living together of the plaintiff and his wife,

Olwen Patricia Pedley nee Newman [commat] Mahani Newman bte

Abdullah is lawful.

The plaintiff married one Olwen Patricia Pedley nee Newman at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Farquhar St, Penang on 12 February 1966. Both them were practising Roman Catholics. On 12 January 1987, the said Olwen Patricia Pedley embraced the religion of Islam without the plaintiffs knowledge and consent at the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Ugama, Lebuh Downing, Pulau Pinang and assumed the name of Mahani Newman bte Abdullah.

On 10 April 1987, the Kadi Besar of Negeri Pulau Pinang, Haji Fathil bin Haji Abdullah, wrote to the plaintiff as follows:

Dimaklumkan berhubung dengan perkara yang di atas, bahawa isteri tuan

yang bernama Olive