Lawyers representing the Sultan of Kelantan are writing to the Chief Justice to request him to expedite the hearing of a writ of habeas corpus linked to the ruler.

Counsel Gobind Singh Deo told reporters that he had yet to be informed on whether or not the fifth judge had been appointed to the five-member Special Court panel to hear the matter.

"I hope the Chief Justice will do the necessary as soon as possible to solve this problem," he said.

"In so far as his royal highness is concerned, he is still being held under restraint at the Istana and we intend to pursue the matter as soon as possible," Gobind Deo said.

He also said that he had yet to receive any affidavit-in-reply from the Attorney-General, who is representing the respondents - the Kelantan Police Chief, the Inspector-General of Police, the director of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, the director-general of health and the federal government.

Last Monday, the hearing of the habeas corpus writ at the Special Court was postponed to a date to be fixed due to a lack of quorum and also to enable the  respondents to file their affidavits.

The writ was filed to seek the sultan's release from the hospital and allow him to seek medical treatment of his choice.

The application was supported by an affidavit by the Sultan's third son, Tengku Temenggong Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra.

Prior to this, the sultan received heart treatment for nine months at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore before returning home in March this year.

- Bernama