Malaysia is one of 25 countries in the world that do not grant mothers and fathers the same rights under the Citizenship Law.

For this reason, six Malaysian women and the family support group ‘Family Frontiers’ filed a legal claim in December 2020 against the discriminatory rule, and the Kuala Lumpur Supreme Court ruled in their favor on Thursday.

Today’s ruling is a monumental step towards gender equality, Family Frontiers said in a statement.

According to the source, Judge Aktar Tahir ruled that the citizenship law must be read in accordance with other regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender.

Tahir explained that courts are empowered to interpret the law and that the case does not seek to change policy, but rather to apply the law in a way that guarantees justice.

The judge considered that ‘the complaints of the plaintiffs are real’ and ‘discrimination is evident’.

This ruling recognizes the equality of Malaysian women and marks a step towards a more equal and just Malaysia, Family Frontiers President Suri Kempe said.

pgh/lcp