An article by Astro Gempak about a woman whose engagement ended because of her birth status has recently caused a debate with Malaysians online, with the issue gaining traction on Reddit and prompting heated discussion.

The article shared the woman’s experience of losing her fiancé after nearly two years of engagement, allegedly due to pressure from his mother after learning that the woman was born out of wedlock. 

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Where things began to change

According to her account, her fiancé had known about her background from the beginning and had accepted it, but his stance changed once his family became involved.

“He knew about my background from the very beginning. I never lied or hid anything, and he accepted me for who I was. When we decided to get engaged, he was the one who reassured me that everything would be fine. In fact, both of us had already received our families’ blessings to build a life together."

According to the woman, she began receiving cold treatment and was subjected to sarcastic remarks, with her future mother-in-law eventually pressuring her son to end the relationship.

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“My future mother-in-law changed once she found out. She started making snide comments and throwing sarcastic remarks. She wouldn’t even look at me when greeting me," she shared.

“Even more painful was when she asked her son to leave me because she feared my birth status would tarnish the family’s reputation and affect their lineage."

Despite initially asking for time, the man ultimately chose to end the engagement, explaining that he could not go against his mother.

The woman also stressed that her birth status was beyond her control and shared that she grew up facing hardship, working hard to better herself. She ended her story by urging society to stop judging people based on circumstances they were born into.

Heated reactions over the fiancé’s choice

Once the story began circulating on Reddit, many users opened up conversations about stigma, family values and the heavy role parental approval still plays in relationships.

A large number of Reddit users expressed sympathy for the woman, saying that no one should be judged for circumstances they had no control over. Meanwhile, users blamed her fiancé for not standing up for her.

"The man is also an idiot. You’re the one who wants to get married, you’re the one who’s going to live with your wife, yet you hand over your rights to your mother just so you can claim to be a 'dutiful son'. That’s not being a dutiful son — that’s just stupid," wrote a user.

"You’ve dodged a bullet, sis. It’s better to walk away early than end up with in‑laws like this."

Other users highlighted how unfair it was that she had to bear the consequences of her parents’ mistakes.

The viral response shows how deeply family pressure and social stigma still shape relationships in Malaysia, while also highlighting a growing call for empathy and change among younger voices online.

Featured Image Credit: Freepik, 123RF, Reddit