A syariah court is investigating a marriage between two Malay Muslims amid suspicions the groom may actually be a woman.

The New Straits Times said Mohamad Sofian, 40, and Zaiton Aziz, 43, were married in December 2002 by a imam in Malacca.

But problems arose when the state's religious affairs department refused to register the marriage, questioning the gender of Mohamad Sofian, whose birth certificate bears a woman's name "Mazinah Mohamad", the newspaper said.

Prosecutors in the case are seeking hospital records on Mohamad Sofian as well as details of the groom's birth certificate and identity card, it said.

Not accepted in Islam

The marriage would be annulled and the couple ordered to separate if the shariah court finds them guilty of having a same-sex marriage.

Sex reassignment surgery is available in Malaysia, but those who have undergone treatment cannot change their sex on their identity cards or other legal documents, according to lawyers.

Transsexuality is not recognised or accepted in Islam, and Muslim edicts prohibit gender reassignment surgery.