GEORGE TOWN: A mentally-challenged woman who had apparently converted to Islam last month is now regretting her action, claiming that she was tricked into it.

Eow Su Chin, 23, now known as Sofiah Eow Abdullah, is medically-certified to have the mental age of a seven-year-old.
She claimed she was “promised” by a Bangladeshi man whom she befriended more than a year ago that he would marry her if she became a Muslim.

“He promised me a house, a car and travel. He also promised me RM1,000 if I completed the three-month course at Rumah Transit (Saudara Kita in Permatang Tok Gelam),” she said at a press conference in the Penang MCA headquarters.

She added that the man, who is only known as Kassim, had visited her twice at the transit house.

On May 11, Eow (Sofiah) who is a training staff member at Eden Handicap Centre, had followed the Bangladeshi to the southwest district religious department in Balik Pulau for her alleged conversion.

Her parents, Eow Chye Seng, 51, and Chin Sai Mee, 48, were shocked that their daughter did not board the centre's vehicle outside their flats in Jalan Van Praagh on that day.

Chye Seng then lodged a missing person's report on the same day.

His daughter was found two days later at the transit house.

On May 30, her parents, along with the centre's training unit head Lee Sin Kok, went to the transit house to bring her home.

Lee claimed they had difficulty getting her home as several officers there tried to coax her to stay.

“They allowed us to bring her home after we submitted a letter that she would be home for two days.

“Eow now does not want to return to the transit house and her parents have lodged a police report,” Lee claimed.

State MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau deputy chief Lim Thoon Deong said the party would help the family to revoke the conversion since the woman claimed that she had been duped by empty promises.

“An officer from the department had said we would have to contest the case in the Syariah Court,” Lim said.