The Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed the Selangor Islamic Religious Council's (Mais) application to act as an intervener in a judicial review application by Sarawakian clerk Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.

"The judge in her decision found that the application to intervene by Mais does not fall under category of direct interest.

"Hence, the order was dismissed and the respondents agreed to not ask for cost," said lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is acting as counsel for MAIS.

Haniff said that the judge however allowed Mais' application to be an amicus curiae, which would allow them to assist the court without being a party to the suit.

Lawyer Annou Xavier, who is acting for Jill Ireland, said the judge ruled that MAIS' duty is only to advise the Selangor ruler on matters related to Islam.

He was speaking to reporters after the proceeding in chambers before Judge Nor Bee Ariffin.

MAIS and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) had applied to be intervenors in the judicial review filed by Jill Ireland on Aug 20, 2008 to get back eight seized compact discs containing the Word Allah.

She named the Home Ministry and the Malaysian government as respondents.

It was previously reported that MAIWP had withdrawn its application to intervene in the case.

Long running legal battle

Haniff said the court have set June 19 to hear the remainder of the applications.

"Before that there will be a case management on March 30 to verify if there has been any affidavits filed by Islamic scholars on use of the word Allah by Non-Muslims," he added.

On May 11, 2008, the CDs titled "Cara Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah", "Hidup Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah" and "Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah", were seized from her, upon arrival at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang.

The High Court had on July 21, 2014, ordered the return of the CDs to Jill Ireland but it did not make an order on the declaration she applied for, that she had the right to keep, use and import published materials containing the word "Allah".

On June 23, 2015, the Court of Appeal endorsed the High Court's decision which ordered the Home Ministry to return the eight CDs after dismissing the appeal by the ministry and Malaysian government against the High Court's decision.

The Court of Appeal ordered the Home Ministry to return all the CDs within a month from the date of the decision, and also ordered that the declaration sought by Jill Ireland be heard in the High Court.

Eventually, the CDs were returned last year but she is proceeding with the judicial review application by seeking the declaratory relief to use materials containing the word "Allah" for religious and educational purposes.