Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and two others filed an application last week to strike out PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s pending qazaf (bearing false witness) appeals.

The application was filed on May 13 at the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court of Appeal and a copy was served to Anwar at the Sungai Buloh prison yesterday.

 

Among the reasons it cited was that the Federal Court had already found Anwar guilty in the Sodomy II case.

 

Another was that of the two officers which Anwar wants the Federal Territory Islamic Department (Jawi) take action on, former director-general Che Mat Che Ali had retired, while former chief prosecutor, Shamsuddin Hussain had been transferred to the Attorney General Chambers

The case came up for case management today before the Syariah Court of Appeal chief registrar, Abdul Ghani Kiflie.

Lawyers Roslizam Ramli, Redzuan Ramli and Abdul Razak Mohiden appeared for Jamil Khir and Jawi.

 

The registrar fixed June 3 for further case management, with Anwar’s lawyers to be present.

 

Anwar ( photo ) had applied for the Syariah Court of Appeal to review the Syariah High Court decision on April 2010, which struck out his qazaf application.

This is after the court allowed a preliminary objection by Jamil Khir and two others.

 

He had previously applied to remove Federal Territory Islamic Council committee member, Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar from representing Jamil Khir and the two others.

However at the last proceedings the Syariah Court of Appeal had accepted Zainul Rijal's withdrawal.

 

The former opposition leader who had filed the application in 2010, wants Jawi and its chief prosecutor to take action on Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan under qazaf, for allegedly lying and not coming up with the four required witnesses to verify his sodomy allegation against Anwar.

 

On Jan 30, 2012, the KL Syariah Court of Appeal dismissed Anwar's appeal against the KL Syariah High Court's decision not to compel the three - Jamil Khir, Shamsuddin and Che Mat - to take action on Saiful.

In a shocking decision, where Anwar's lawyers walked out , it allowed a preliminary objection by Jamil Khir, without leave (permission) being granted by the highest religious court in the Federal Territory.

 

Following that unprecedented Syariah Court of Appeal decision, Anwar's lawyers filed for a review.