The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today granted ZI Publications Sdn Bhd and its director’s application to stay a judicial review proceeding over the confiscation of 180 translated copies of the book, ‘ Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta ’, by Irshad Manji.

NONE Judge Zaleha Yusof made the decision after hearing ZI Publications and Mohd Ezra Mohd Zaid’s ( left ) stay application in chambers.

Their counsel, Nizam Bashir, told reporters the court fixed Oct 7 for case management.

Nizam said the court allowed the stay, pending the outcome of a petition filed by his clients at the Federal Court to declare invalid, Section 16 of the Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995.

On April 8, the Federal Court granted leave to the publishing company and Mohd Ezra to file the petition.

They had, on July 9 last year filed a judicial review application to challenge the raid carried out by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais).

They named Jais, its director-general, the Selangor Religious Department enforcement chief, Selangor Syarie prosecution chief, Selangor government and the Malaysian government as respondents.

Among others, they applied for an order of certiorari to quash the action by Jais officers who raided and confiscated 180 books on May 29, last year, at ZI Publications located at B-2-19, Merchant Square, Jalan Tropicana Selatan 1, PJU 3, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Their application was also for the return of the seized 388-page books.

Besides that, they applied for a certiorari order to set aside an arrest on May 29, last year and prosecution by Jais on Mohd Ezra.

- Bernama