I don’t want mummy, says girl in custody fight

PUTRAJAYA: It was a heart-wrenching scene at the Court of Appeal here when three appellate judges tried to persuade an 11-year-old girl to give her mother a second chance.

Low Bi-Anne had initially refused to meet her mother Tan Siew Siew, 37, when the custody battle case was called up. The mother has been given custody of the child.

However, Bi-Anne, who was in tears, sat close to her father, real-estate negotiator Low Swee Siong, 40.

Upon hearing submissions by the parties, Court of Appeal judge Justice Sulong Matjeraie, who chaired a three-man panel, asked the girl to give her mother a chance to show her love.

“Your mother came all the way from England to see you,” he said.

Justice Mohamed Apandi Ali told her: “Your mother took care of you for nine months. Give it a try.”

Upon hearing this, Bi-Anne said: “She took care of me for nine months but my father took care of me for 10 years.”

Justice Jefrey Tan Kok Wha told the girl: “I am sure (both your parents) love you equally.”

The girl then wept and said: “I don’t love her.”

Lawyer T. Susamma, who acted for the girl’s mother, said her client was heartbroken at not having access to her daughter.

Susamma applied to the Bench for the girl’s father, Low, to surrender her birth certificate and all school records.

Counsel Chan Kah Ling, who represented Low, requested that the court give them 14 days or a month to comply with the order.

Justice Sulong ordered that the birth certificate be given to Tan within seven days.

The couple married on Aug 2, 1999. When they divorced on June 19, 2006, the custody of the girl was given to the father.

After two years, the mother applied for custody.

On Aug 6, 2008, High Court judge Justice Hinshawati Sharif ordered that custody of the girl be given to the mother and the father be given reasonable access. However, the order could not be executed because Bi-Anne did not want to go to her mother.

On July 27, the father appealed to the Court of Appeal against the lower court ruling but later withdrew it. Yesterday was the execution of the High Court order for the custody of the child to the mother.