The surprise decision only covers the right of a transgender person who was born male to marry a man, and for one who was born female to marry a woman. The court ruled in favor of the woman named “W”. One of the judges on the five-member panel dissented.
Michael Vidler, W’s lawyer said that W was overjoyed. W was born a man, but had had surgery in 2008 to become a woman. The hospital issued a letter certifying her new gender.
According to a statement read by Vidler, W said after the surgery she had lived her life “as a woman and been treated as a woman in all respects except as regards my right to marriage”.
However, Vidler said the ruling would not take effect for 12 months as the government will need time to change marriage laws.
Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have permitted such marriages. China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australi and New Zealand are among them. Now, we wonder when Malaysia’s going to jump on the bandwagon!
