GEORGE TOWN: A women's organisation that previously sheltered Loh Siew Hong is lauding the High Court's decision to uphold Loh's rights as a mother, with custody of her children.

       Women's Centre for Change (WCC) noted they were happy with the decision to reunite Loh with her children.

       "It is unfortunate that Madam Loh had to go through so much delay and hassle to obtain what is rightfully hers, given that she had already been legally awarded full custody of her children," said WCC executive director Loh Cheng Kooi.

       Cheng Kooi, meanwhile, noted the Indira Gandhi Federal Court decision made it clear that unilateral conversions of children were not allowed, and "we hope that all governments and other agencies will uphold and respect this decision".

       In the 2018 landmark decision by the apex court, the unilateral conversion of Indira's three children to Islam by their father was nullified, and Federal Court held that the consent of both parents was necessary.

       The panel of sitting judges unanimously held that the singular word "parent" in Article 12(4) of Federal Constitution could not be taken literally.

       “The word ‘parent’ - is a case of being lost in translation. Both parents have equal rights,” the judges held in their 99-page judgment.