Three Singaporean schoolgirls seeking legal redress after being suspended for wearing the tudung (head scarf) are expected to face a delay due to permit requirements for their Malaysian lawyer.

The families of the girls, aged between six and seven, are hoping to see the case handled by prominent lawyer-cum-politician, Karpal Singh.

The lawyer told malaysiakini yesterday that he has to apply for a working permit in order to represent the girls in a Singapore court.

Karpal, who was called to the Bar in Singapore, is disallowed from practicing in the republic as he is not attached to a local legal firm.

When contacted later, the schoolgirls' Singaporean lawyer Sadari Musari said Karpal must obtain an employment pass from the Singapore Immigration Department for "ad hoc" cases.

"For the immigration department to issue a pass, he must be employed by [a Singapore firm]. We are drafting a contract," he said, adding that the draft is currently being studied by Karpal.

With the employment permit, the lawyer is required to seek approval from the Law Society of Singapore (the country's equivalent of the Malaysian Bar Council) before applying for a practice certificate from the Singapore High Court.

The immigration application is expected to take up to two weeks while the Law Society approval is estimated to take another two days.

Asked about Karpal's chances, Sadari said there is a possibility that the Singapore High Court may decide not to issue a practice certificate.

"A recent application by an opposition politician to be represented by lawyers from the United Kingdom and Hong Kong was not allowed.

"The court's reason was that the matter was not so complicated as to warrant this [action]," he said.

Previous experience

Sadari explained that the girls' families want Karpal as their main advocate based on his previous experience in a similar case in Malaysia involving a civil servant who was sacked for wearing a purdah (veil) to her workplace.

However, the case was later dismissed by the Federal Court which ruled that wearing the purdah was not related to the civil servant's constitutional rights to practise her religion.

Meanwhile, Sadari said the girls are being educated at home after being barred from school in February for refusing to comply with the Education Ministry's strict dress code.

The Singapore Education Ministry said it observes the rule in the interest of racial and religious harmony.

The case also led to Malaysian politicians and their Singaporean counterparts trading barbs.