The Shah Alam Syariah High Court today set Jan 25 to determine whether the Selangor Syariah Court had the jurisdiction to hear the case of former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin who is charged with teaching Islam without state authorisation.

Syariah Judge Mohammad Adib Husain set the date after hearing the arguments of both sides on the preliminary objection filed by Mohd Asri against the judicial review sought by the prosecution on the Gombak Timur Syariah Lower Court's dismissal of its application to transfer the case to the Syariah High Court here.

Mohd Asri was represented by counsel Kamar Ainiah Kamaruszaman and Jamal Mohd Lokman Sulaiman while Selangor Syariah chief of prosecution Abdul Shukor Abdul Hamid prosecuted, with the assistance of Zusyarafain Md Yusof and Mohd Nazri Basrawi.

Mohd Asri, 38, had pleaded not guilty in the Gombak Timur Syariah Lower Court to teaching Islam without authorisation at a house in Lorong 2C, Taman Sri Ukay, Ampang, between 8.10pm and 9.45pm on Nov 1 last year.

He was charged under Section 119 (1) of the Selangor Islamic Religious Administration Enactment 2003, which carries the penalty of a fine of up to RM3,000 or a jail term of two years, or both, upon conviction.

The hearing of that case was postponed to May 3 to enable the appeal and preliminary objection to be heard and disposed of by the Syariah High Court.

- Bernama