The woman in question, Ms Lina Joy, 43, was born Azlina Jailani to Malay parents and brought up a Muslim. In 1998, she converted to Christianity and changed her name.

But the National Registration Department here refused to reflect her change of religion in her identity card.

Here appeal went all the way to the Malaysian Federal Supreme Court 3 judge tribunal ruled along religious lines, 2 to 1 against her, saying that she must go to the Syariah Courts for this issue. More on malaysia:Malaysia's Civil Federal Supreme Court Hands Over Non-Muslim to the Religious Syariah Courts.... malaysia:Malaysian Lina Joy and the Malaysian Federal Supreme Court Decision and the issue of Jurisdiction...