PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 — S. Deepa was left distraught after the Federal Court today granted custody of her son to her Muslim ex-husband, and pleaded for the country’s laws to be changed to spare other women from her traumatic experience.
Although she was given custody of her daughter, Deepa broke down in tears upon leaving the Federal Court today.
“I hope this case does not happen again… this is the last and let it not repeat. Malaysia please change!” Deepa said to reporters.
“This is definitely not fair! Malaysia, please change! Don’t let this happen again to single mothers like me… let this be the last case in Malaysia. That’s my answer, I have nothing more to say,” Deepa railed.
Earlier, she recounted the travails of her long-drawn interfaith custody fight with her ex-husband, saying that she had to carry on without employment, financial aid or access to her children.
She lamented that, despite all the hardship, she was only able to gain custody of her daughter but not her son.
Deepa, who is the only remaining Hindu in her family after her mother and siblings converted to Islam, said that she wanted her son, eight-year-old son Mithran (Nabil) and her 11-year old daughter Sharmila (Nur Nabila) to be together and not separated.
“I am disappointed because I won in the civil court, but here in this court, I couldn’t take Mithran,” an angry Deepa exclaimed.
The Federal Court earlier today divided the custody of Mithran and Sharmila, handing the son to Izwan and the daughter to Deepa.
A five-man bench comprising Tan Sri Raus Sharif, Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datuk Seri Azahar Mohamed reached the decision after interviewing the children in chambers at the start of the case.
The panel led by Raus also set aside a Negri Sembilan High Court decision that granted Deepa full custody of her children.
In his decision, Raus said that based on the panel’s interview with the children in chambers, Mithran wanted to be with his father while Sharmila wanted to live with her mother.
He then ordered both parties to discuss access before the court adjourned.
