The Selangor Syariah Appeal Court today fixed Dec 28 to decide on a leave application by former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin to appeal against a High Court decision in allowing a judicial review by the prosecution for his case to be heard by the High Court.

A panel of Syariah Appeal court judges, led by syariah chief judge Ibrahim Lembut, who sat with Md Yusup Che Teh and Aidi Mokhtar, set the date after hearing submissions from Mohd Asri's counsel, Kamar Ainah Kamaruzzaman, and Selangor Syariah chief prosecutor Abdul Shukor Abdul Hamid.

Mohd Asri is seeking leave to appeal against a Syariah High Court decision on April 28 this year in allowing his case to be transferred to the High Court following an application for a judicial review by the prosecution against a Syariah Lower Court's decision which dismissed its application to transfer the case to the High Court.

On Nov 18 last year, Mohd Asri claimed trial in the Gombak Timur Syariah Lower Court to a charge of teaching Islam without accreditation at a house at Lorong 2C, Taman Seri 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 provides for a fine of up to RM3,000 or a maximum jail term of two years or both upon conviction.

- Bernama