The judicial review proceedings of Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) led by Rev Jerry Dusing at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur was stayed today pending SIB’s appeal on the court's decision that the Federal Territory Islamic Council (Maiwp) be made an intervener in the matter.

This follows the Court of Appeal having fixed July 19 to hear the appeal by Dusing.

Hence, as a result of this, Dusing’s counsel Bobby Chew said the matter has been fixed for case management before the High Court on July 25.

"We are appealing as we feel Maiwp should not be a party in the matter and it has no interest in the matter," he said.

Chew along with Maiwp's lawyer Mohd Haniff Katri Abdulla and Home Ministry's senior federal counsel Mazlifa Ayob met Justice Hanipah Farikullah in chambers.

Dusing had initially named the Home Ministry as the sole respondent in the case in which SIB, or Borneo Evangelical Church, is seeking a judicial review application on the use of the word ‘Allah’ in its prayers.

This judicial review application was filed in 2007, earlier than the Catholic Archbishop vs Home Ministry's case following the seizure of books bearing the word 'Allah' at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang that year.

Although the books were returned in 2008, just before the general election that year, Dusing did not withdraw the judicial review application as he said it affected the Christian community in Sabah and Sarawak, and the seizure went against the agreement of the two states joining Malaya to form Malaysia.

SIB is going ahead with the judicial review application as it does not want problems in the near future as a result of this, and the use of the religious books as pawns before each election.

On Feb 23, it was reported that Justice Hanipah ruled that MAIWP had the duty and authority to advise the Agong on Islamic affairs and matters on the use of the word 'Allah' in publications and hence, it should be allowed as intervener.

Initially, SIB was not granted leave to initiate its judicial review application as the court felt it was tied with the verdict over the 'Allah' issue.

On Oct 1, 2014, the Court of Appeal granted leave for SIB's application to be heard on its merits, resulting in this matter being heard now.