KOTA BARU, 21 April 2009: The Syariah High Court here today issued an injunction to bar the media from covering the “mutaah” hearing involving Melor assemblyperson Wan Ismail Wan Jusoh and his ex-wife Siti Aishah Chou Abdullah.
The judge, Abdullah Man, said the injunction also covered disseminating and publishing media coverage throughout the proceedings between the plaintiff and the defendant.
Both parties were also barred from issuing statements to the media and publishing it for public view, he said.
The injunction was sought by Wan Ismail, 53, through counsel Md Raziman Yaakub using Section 239 of the Syariah Court Civil Procedure Enactment 2002 which deals with any scandalous matter, among others.
Wan Ismail was not in court while Siti Aishah, 24, was with their children — four-year-old Wan Ahmad Firdaus and Wan Nor Salwa, three, — and her brother Abdul Hakim Abdullah, 22 and father Kian Ti, 62.
Siti Aishah, formerly Wan Ismail’s second wife and was represented by lawyer Mohd Sibri Ismail, is seeking RM3 million mutaah (compensation) from her ex-husband. The case will be mentioned again on 29 July and continue on 25 Aug since the defendant has yet to furnish its defence file to the court and the plaintiff’s lawyer. — Bernama
Tshiung Han See says
Wan Ismail is a public servant. It’s the public’s right to know the proceedings of the trial. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t the court transcripts public record?