Revathi Masoosai was born with the name Siti Fatimah. Born to Muslim parents, this was the name her parents gave her, but her grandmother is the one who raised her—as a Hindu—with the name Revathi Masoosai. But later in life, when she married another Hindu, this history—over which she had no control—led to a personal and legal ordeal. 

Though Revathi had tried to change her legal name and religious status, the bureaucratic hurdles proved too much to bother with. Later, she married her partner, a Hindu man. This event prompted interference from Malaysian authorities. Because Revathi was still legally Siti Fatimah—still legally a Muslim—her marriage to a non-Muslim could not be valid. Custody of the couple’s two-year-old child was handed over to Revathi’s Muslim parents, and Revathi was charged with apostasy.

"My name is Revathi. I want to hold on to that name - forever." - Revathi Masoosai

But Revathi got “lucky.” Rather than facing punitive action, she was merely sent to a “rehabilitation center” outside Kuala Lumpur where confused Muslims such as herself could be guided back to the correct path. Apparently, while there, she had no access to medication for her asthma and also ate very little. This may have something to do with the fact that the authorities there tried to force her to eat beef in direct violation of her religious convictions as a Hindu.

Revathi said that she had not been “rehabilitated” by any means. Rather, she said the treatment to which she was subjected caused her to “loathe Islam even more now.”