The legal tussle for the custody of three children between their natural mother, an Indian, and their Malay stepmother has been resolved, at least for now.

This morning, Kajang Children's Court judge Harmi Thamri ruled that the custody of the children should go to the stepmother as she had fulfilled the requirements to raise the children.

The Malay woman works in the private sector while the Indian woman is a factory worker.

The custody right was given to the stepmother also because of her better financial background that will enable her to take proper care of the children.

However, the natural mother was allowed to visit her children at the stepmother 's residence in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn.

Early last year, the Indian woman's husband, a Chinese, had left her to marry the Muslim woman.

The Indian woman has alleged that the three children with her former husband were unlawfully converted to Islam on March 31 last year and that it was done without her consent.

Her ex-husband died in early March last year and the children had since been staying with their Malay stepmother.

When the court decision was announced this morning, the Malay stepmother who was present immediately shed tears of happiness.

Back to school

She expressed relief that everything was finally over and she can now bring her children home again.

"The children have not gone to school for three weeks. I am going to send them back to school next Monday, so that they can catch up with their studies," she told malaysiakini when met outside the court.

She added that she was confident of winning the case as the children prefer to stay with her.

The children, a girl 16 and two boys, 12 and 10 had earlier told the court in an interview that they desire to stay with their stepmother.

However, the natural mother who is the Indian woman cried out of disappointment for failing to obtain the custody right of her children.

Counsel K Shanmuga for the natural mother told the court after the decision was made that an appeal will be made to the High Court.

"For further legal action, I will need to discuss with the natural mother first," he told reporters outside the court.