Introduction

[1] "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." This may indeed be true when references are made to things or objects. Nevertheless, in the context of people or persons, do names merely serve the purpose of distinguishing a person from another? After all, to an individual, the sweetest sound a person hears is the person's name.

[2] A legal issue relating to the significance of a name, or more accurately, the right to pick and subsequently change one's surname and given name was raised before this court.

The Parties And The Nature Of The Applications

[3] The plaintiff is one Chiew Foong Shuang.

[4] The defendant is the Ketua Pengarah, Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (Director General, National Registration Department).

[5] The plaintiff had commenced an Originating Summons action against the defendant to alter her child's surname and given name.

[6] The name Moo Heng-Yu was registered in the child's b