"The highest court in Malaysia yesterday rejected a Muslim-born woman's appeal to be recognised as a Christian...The Malaysian constitution guarantees freedom of worship, but ethnic Malays must be Muslim by law. "She cannot simply, at her own whim, enter or leave her religion," Judge Ahmad Fairuz said during yesterday's ruling...Two-hundred Muslim protesters who gathered in a prayer vigil outside the court yesterday greeted the verdict with cries of "Allahu Akbar" (God is great)."

I do not know if there is actual Sharia Law in Malaysia but certainly the Muslim faith is the foundation for government. In countries where there is Sharia Law the judiciary is at one with the religious leaders. In Malaysia if you are not Muslim/Malay you are denied many privileges and your rights are not automatically protected. This can happen to non-Muslim foreign-born inhabitants of Malaysia and their Malaysian-born descendents. They do not have the same citizenship rights or health/education etc. rights even if born there. Maybe this judge was actually doing the woman a favour.