Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - There is growing unease in Malaysia over the number of inter-faith families torn apart by strict religious laws that ban non-Muslims and Muslims from marrying.
56 non-governmental organisations are urging the government to do more to uphold the freedom of religion enshrined in the federal constitution.
They say the break-up of families will endanger the social fabric of the country's multi-religious and multi-cultural society.
39-year-old rubber tapper Raimah Nordin is full of regrets as her family has broken up.
She has seven children and the youngest is only four years old.
Born Hindus, they now live with their Hindu father, while Raimah resides on her own.
Although she has unrestricted access to her children, Raimah can no longer live with them.
She says: "The whole world knows that I am a Muslim. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it."
In April, Raimah, who grew up in a Hindu family, told the state Islamic religious officers or JAIS that she had been born a Muslim in the hope that her husband would convert along with the children.
But her 41-year-old husband, Marimuthu, declined to do so and claimed the religious officers came one night and took his wife and children away.
He has since won custody of his children after Raimah gave up her rights to them.
Marimuthu says: "I am sad that after 20 years with me she has now decided to embrace Islam. It's tough without my wife at home. Sometimes, the kids wake up at night crying, looking for their mother and I can't bring her here."
Ivy Josiah, Women's Aid Organisation, says: "We are aware that the JAIS and religious officers are working within the framework of the law. The question we need to ask is – are they operating within the human rights framework, at a very human and compassionate level?"
Since the start of this year, at least five inter-faith families like Marimuthu's have asked the civil courts to clarify the scope of constitutional provisions on religion.
But until they get the answers they are seeking, their lives have been disrupted and placed on hold.
Marimuthu's case is merely one of several cases that have sprung up in recent times that observers see as growing signs of religious intolerance in the country.
Many rights groups are now urging the government to respect the freedom of religion as safeguarded under the federal constitution and the universal declaration on human rights.