Medeyln Teoh, the daughter of the deceased whose Taoist funeral was disrupted by the Penang Islamic Affairs Department (Jaipp), today testified that her mother never converted to Islam.

Medelyn told the Penang Syariah High Court in a closed hearing that Teoh Cheng Cheng never embraced Islam as she never uttered the syahadah (Muslim proclaimation of faith).

This was conveyed to reporters by Penang Islamic Affairs Council (Maipp)'s counsel Wan Faridulhadi Mohd Yusoff.

He added that Medelyn said her mother, who is alleged to have taken the Muslim name Nora Teoh Abdullah, also did not live as a Muslim.

According to Wan Faridulhadi, although Teoh made an application to convert to Islam in 1997, she never professed the syahadah, nor did she get a response from the religious affairs department.

He also said Teoh, 38, was then planning to marry a Muslim man but she never did. She had three children with her Muslim partner.

Jaipp named Medelyn as the respondent, while the court heard testimonies of four witnesses – two represented the family and two others represented Maipp.

Teoh reportedly committed suicide on June 7 and was to be buried on Monday according to Taoist rites at the United Hokkien Cemetery at Batu Gantung.

Court to decide at 2pm tomorrow

Yesterday, Maipp, which oversees Jaipp, filed an application to obtain a declaration to ascertain Teoh's religious status by the Penang Syariah High Court.

The court will decide on the status of the religious status of the deceased, whose body was taken by Jaipp from her funeral, at 2pm tomorrow.

The case was filed under the Section 63 (3)(10) and Section 170 of the Penang Islamic Administration Enactment in order for Medelyn to obtain a court order or declaration on her mother's religious status.

Maipp has filed an affidavit to reply to the application which the court deliberated on today.

Meanwhile, Teoh's mother Tan Mah Suan (left) , 64, will also file an application to determine's her daughter's religious status at the Penang High Court.

Accompanying her was lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo who said the case will be filed at 9.30am tomorrow.

"We need to get certain documents, we need to look at a few other things before we finalise our papers," Gobind ( below ) told reporters when met at the court house.

The family was supposed to file the matter today but postponed it to tomorrow as there were developments at the syariah court which the lawyers need to ascertain before filing the matter at the High Court.

"We are also not very sure what has happened but we have prepared our documents. As far as we are concerned, we will file something tomorrow and take it from there," the Puchong MP said.

Accompanying Gobind were Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh, and DAP's Air Itam and Pengkalan Kota assemblympersons Wong Hon Wai and Lau Keng Ee.