KUALA LUMPUR, December 29, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Fury has been raging in Malaysia over a new family legislation on polygamy and divorce, drawing fierce opposition as undermining women's rights by making it easier for men to take multiple wives and to claim property after divorce.

"It's not justified under Islam because Islam promotes the principle of equality and justice, and traditionally it guards the rights of Muslim women," said Razlina Razali from Sisters in Islam, one of several activist groups in an alliance demanding that the bill be abandoned, AFP reported Thursday, December 29.

Last week, the Senate (Malaysia's Upper House) approved controversial amendments to the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Bill 2005.

Under the new Section 107A of the law, a husband is allowed to obtain an injunction preventing the disposition of property by a wife or a former wife.

The amendment also endorses man's right to polygamy without having to prove he is financially capable of treating his wives on equal footing before taking on another.

Upon taking a new wife, men can now seize property belonging to existing wives, and they are also given new rights to claim assets after a divorce, as well as less obligation to pay compensation and maintenance.

"They are giving more rights to the men whilst taking back the traditional Muslim women's rights," Razali told AFP.

Similar concerns were echoed by Malaysian Muslim women.

"Now I learn that if my husband were to marry another, he has the right to my property to support his new lifestyle," an outraged reader wrote in Malaysia's New Straits Times.

"Another provision makes it easier for men to obtain divorce ... it is hard to imagine how much easier it can be, given the current situation where men can divorce their wives for no reason and even via SMS," said another woman.

The law's provisions have already been rolled out in some states.

Zaidah Abdul Rahman, a 44-year-old mother of three, was the first casualty of the controversial law.

She was divorced in 2004 by her husband in the state of Johor Baru after a two-decade-long marriage.

Soon, Zaidah found her personal bank account and that of her oldest daughter frozen, and she was forced to sell her jewelry so she could pay the bills.

Zaidah gave up her career as a real estate agent at the request of her husband in order to take care of their children. But now, she is left with nothing, according to AFP.

Once well-off, her home is now in disrepair and she has been forced to take out a court order to prevent her husband from seizing her Volvo.

"I'm totally upset and fiercely opposed to the amendments which are against Islamic law, which forbids harshness against women," she told AFP.

"This is against Malaysia's image which is known worldwide as a modern Islamic country."

A recent survey showed that nearly 90 percent of Malaysian Muslim men believe that one wife is enough, according to the New Straits Times.

The unusually strong protest over the bill has also been fuelled by the way it was forced through the upper house, triggering a tearful protest from women senators who denounced it as "sinful".

Protesting the bill, women's groups are planning petitions, letter-writing campaigns and other strategies to put pressure on the government over the controversial law.

Women, Family and Community Minister Shahrizat Jalil said she will petition the religious heads in their states to appeal for the bill to be substantially amended.

She added Malaysian women were slighted by the law and that their rights needed to be protected by correcting discriminatory clauses.

However, female activists have dismissed the government's promises to amend the more contentious points as a hollow gesture designed to cool the angry public mood.

"How long will it take to amend? Fifteen years? And how many women will suffered under it by then?" questioned Razlina.

Muslim Malays comprise about 60 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million people, while ethnic Chinese and Indians - most of them Buddhists, Hindus and Christians - make up about 35 percent. The rest are indigenous people.