Izwan all smiles, Deepa in tears

Relief and sorrow: Izwan talking to his counsel outside the Federal Court. (Right) Deepa speaking to the media after the court decision.

PUTRAJAYA: While Izwan Abdullah was happy with the Federal Court’s ruling on custody of his two children, his ex-wife S. Deepa was bitterly disappointed at being separated from her son.

Deepa was unhappy with the verdict especially since the Court of Appeal had already given her custody of both children last year.

“I am upset. It was my hope that the court would give me both my children but it wasn’t so. Only my daughter was given to me,” said a tearful Deepa.

She hoped her case would be the last of its kind here, adding that the laws in Malaysia needed to be changed.

“I have experienced many hardships. I have been separated from my children, I have no husband, no help whatsoever, no money.

“Now, with the verdict, only my daughter has been returned to me. This is not justice.

“Don’t let cases like this happen again to single mothers like me. Let this be the last such case in Malaysia,” she said.

Izwan, however, was smiling.

“I very much agree with the decision,” he said.

He explained that if either parent had been given custody of both children, the other would have been very upset, but with each parent given one child each, he was happy.

He also expressed his hope that his ex-wife would convert to Islam.

“Her entire family has embraced Islam. Only she alone has not done so yet.

“She has not gotten a ‘hidayah’ (revelation) yet. God willing, she gets one,” he said.