“I hope there will be no repeat of my situation anymore.”

“‘Jangan ibu-ibu tunggal tak ada jawapan lagi,” she sobbed in Bahasa. (Let not single mothers have no answers.)

Deepa touched on the hardships that she had endured. “My son was separated from me, I was divorced, no one helped me financially,” she said.

She was expressing sorrow that the custody of Mitran was awarded to her former husband Izwan Abdullah. “I am sad.”

“My hope was to have both my children with me.”

“This is so unfair,” sobbed Deepa. “Please, I do not want to see a repeat.”

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) director Sumitra Visvanathan, who was present, said the son’s custody being given to Izwan “validates the initial illegality and injustice”.

“The injustice of Mitran being kidnapped was not addressed in court.”

“Deepa wants Malaysia to change, to recognise the rights of women, to uphold equality and eradicate violence against them,” she said.

Deepa was awarded custody of her daughter Sharmila by the Federal Court while her son was given to Izwan.