Would this set a precedent for the word “father” and “mother” in legislation in this country to be used interchangeably? For instance, should the courts go further and decide what “father” and “mother” or “husband” and “wife” is to mean? Would it not be better to deal with this lacuna by amending the Federal Constitution to read as “mother or father”? The government should take a proactive and sympathetic approach within the ambit of the law for people genuinely residing in Malaysia to have a right to stay and thus avoid living in uncertainty. In genuine cases, shouldn’t the adopted children have a right to stay here to avoid breaking up the family?
