The Syariah High Court in Kuala Lumpur today allowed the widow of Jamaluddin Jarjis, Kalsom Ismail, and her four children to intervene in his mother's faraid claim to the portion of the RM2.1 billion estate left by the deceased.

This came after Jamaluddin's mother Aminah Abdullah did not make an objection on the application to intervene.

Malaysiakini learnt that Kalsom and her children, aged between 23 and 33, had filed their faraid (Islamic wealth distribution) claim in 2016, but allegedly without Aminah's knowledge.

In addition, the syariah court also granted leave (permission) for the widow and family to file a preliminary objection to Aminah's claim.

The decision was made by registrar Siti Zulaikha Mansor in chambers.

The widow and her children were given three weeks to file a preliminary objection by the court, which also fixed Oct 15 for the mention of the case.

Lawyer Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman appeared for Aminah while Shamsuriah Sulaiman acted for Kalsom. The children were represented by lawyer Zuri Zabuddin Budiman.

It was previously reported that the 83-year-old Aminah filed her faraid petition in March to seek her rightful share of the estate.    

The petition was filed for the court to recognise that she is one of the rightful claimants - along with Kalsom and her children.

Under Islamic law, if a deceased does not leave a will, the mother is entitled to receive one-sixth of the decedent's estate, while his widow gets one-eighth and the children are to receive the remainder.

In her petition, Aminah listed landed properties – including houses in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and in the United States – as part of the estate of Jamaluddin (photo).

The estate also included shares owned by the former minister of science, technology and innovation, and those purportedly given to her grandchildren.

In total, the assets comprise 22 landed properties, mostly in Pahang and in the Klang Valley, 21 bank accounts with a total sum of more than RM15 million – including one account in the US – and shares in 15 companies.

Aminah was married to Jamaluddin's father before they were divorced in 1954 and she raised Jamaluddin with two other siblings from a later marriage.

Jamaluddin, the former Rompin MP, was said to be a close confidant of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and had held various cabinet posts.

He and several others, including Najib's private secretary, Azlin Alias, died in a helicopter crash on April 4, 2015.

The report on the investigation into the helicopter crash said it was the result of pilot negligence.