KUALA LUMPUR: For nearly nine years, Nurul, a 34-year-old single mother of three, raised her children without any support from her ex-husband, who ignored their well-being.
Despite her repeated attempts to seek financial help, he refused to provide any support.
"When I was pregnant with our fourth child, my husband began neglecting me, even until the day I gave birth. He questioned the child I was carrying, accusing me of various things, which left me disheartened.
"After a week of confinement at home, I asked to be taken back to my mother's house. I had already packed my children's clothes at that time, planning to stay there permanently," she told Harian Metro.
Nurul said her ex-husband never visited or checked on their three children after their separation.
His violent temper, frequent threats with a machete, and physical abuse led her to file for fasakh (divorce initiated by the wife), a process that took a year due to his lack of cooperation.
Even after the divorce, he provided no financial support.
Late last year, Nurul was told by her cousin that her former husband had fallen ill. He passed away before she could visit him.
After his death, she tried to claim her children's rights from his family, but her messages went unanswered.
Malaysian Syariah Lawyers Association president Musa Awang said the shortage of judges is a key cause of delays in cases, including alimony claims.
Delays can also occur due to judge transfers, assignments, and administrative duties.
He added that ex-wives often struggle to claim alimony when ex-husbands abandon their responsibilities or frequently change jobs.
In some cases, ex-husbands intentionally delay payments or avoid hearings, making it harder for ex-wives to receive support.
Meanwhile, syariah lawyer Mohd Firdaus Akhtar said that the ex-wife could use an ex-husband's contributions to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) as alimony.
However, this can only be done under the direction of the Syariah Court.
"There are several methods the court can use, one of which is ordering alimony from the ex-husband's EPF contributions. The court can draw from there and must notify EPF," he said.
Women who are not supported by their ex-husbands can also seek alimony assistance from the Family Support Bureau (BSK).