Single mother Loh Siew Hong has denied allegations that her children, who are under the care of the Perlis Welfare Department, had refused to see her.
In an interview with Malaysiakini, Loh claimed her children were "brainwashed" by certain quarters, who included her ex-husband's family, to be hostile towards her, and to reject her when she visits them.
"They told my children that their father would commit suicide if they followed me. I was also blamed for sending their father to the prison in Machang, Kelantan, for a drug-related offense," she explained.
"My children do not know that I was not responsible for their father being in prison," added the chef, who has a job in a hotel in Genting Highlands.
Loh reiterated that her 14-year-old twin daughters and son, aged 10, were delighted to meet her on Feb 16, when she paid them a brief visit in Perlis, where they are held in custody.
Her children were placed in the care of the Perlis Welfare Department pending the outcome of a habeas corpus application set for Feb 21 at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, her children refused to see their mother. He declared the kids want Islam and want to go to a religious school.
Asri claimed the children stressed they willingly joined Islam and had not been forced by anyone.
He added that their mother was absent and Muslim parties in Penang took care of the children at an Islamic religious studies centre.
In 2019, Loh escaped after years of abuse by her husband after he hit her with a hammer and broke her legs. She was hospitalised with 27 stitches on her head.
She finally got in touch with the Women's Centre for Change (WCC) in George Town, Penang, which provided her with shelter until she recovered.
Loh dismissed claims she did not turn up for her kids, stressing that she spent three years trying to locate them but met daunting challenges and setbacks.
She was determined to take her children back though it was reported that her former husband, Nagahswaran Muniandy, abducted them in her absence and converted the minors to Islam.
Interim custody obtained, divorce filed
In July 2019, Loh obtained interim custody of her children. She also filed for divorce and to have custody of the kids.
But in 2020, the country was in lockdown due to Covid-19 and her court cases were postponed.
Loh tried to see her children when they were hospitalised after an accident but her sister-in-law refused to let her meet them.
When she finally met them with the help of the police, her kids rejected her, saying "You are not our mother. Only our aunty and uncle took care of us."
It was then that Loh realised they were brainwashed into thinking she abandoned them. She was also blamed for sending their dad to prison.
Loh felt extremely saddened and helpless by the episode, which resulted in her begging her mother-in-law to allow her to care for her kids in the hospital, for only one night.
"That night, my son asked what was happening, why is his father saying he would commit suicide if they left him? He told them he would tie his neck to the fan and hang himself.
"He blackmailed my children so that they will not follow me. Knowing this, I did not want to further confuse my children although they knew what happened to me, how I was beaten and had to be carried in an ambulance to the hospital," she said between sobs.
In March 2021, Loh obtained full custody of her children and continued to look for the kids to bring them under her care.
She went to Bukit Aman and the Ministry of Education in Putrajaya to ask where her kids were studying but was given the run-around.
Could not meet her ex-husband
She was even told by the police in Sungai Petani, Kedah to go to Machang, Kelantan to ask the ex-husband about the whereabouts of the children.
Loh called the Machang police for help but they said she cannot meet her ex-husband as it was during the lockdown.
She was only told that the kids were staying with her mother-in-law in Sungai Petani.
On Jan 10, 2022, Loh received a message from a woman from the Hidayah Foundation Centre in Penang and she wondered if her children were at the premises.
"When I contacted the woman via WhatsApp, I asked if my children were at the centre. She asked me to meet up with her.
"My twins were really with her. I told her about the full custody order I had obtained, but she wanted to meet and discuss the matter.
"What for? She told me my kids were okay, they were studying well. But she did not tell me they were converted to Islam," Loh added.
On Feb 6, Loh's son, who is in a tahfiz school in Tasek Gelugor, sent word to her via a friend on Facebook.
Loh eventually found out her son was at the school and that he went by the name "Irfan".
She then lodged a police report when she found he left the school with some family members.
"By then, I have lodged nine police reports to locate my children, but I am still unable to take my children with me," she lamented.
Loh was aided by DAP’s Bagan Dalam assemblyperson Satees Muniandy and Malaysian Tamilar Kural leader David Marshal when she was told to go to a madrasah in Perlis to see her kids.
She suspected her children were being held by religious authorities, so she lodged another report in Kepala Batas, Penang.
The next day, she received an SMS to go to the Islamic Religious Department in Perlis.
"I also received a call from my son, asking me when will I be visiting them," she said.
Yesterday, Loh failed to meet her children and was told she needed permission from a "higher authority" before she can do so.
She was flabbergasted and was told to return today to try and see her children.
"I meant to give them their presents yesterday. Only a mother knows how it feels not to see her own kids. I have full custody of my children, so why do I need permission from a higher authority to see them?" she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. - Mkini
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