The High Court today fixed Jan 17 next year to hear an interim application from a woman claiming to be the wife of former MIC president S Samy Vellu. 

Meeriam Rosaline Edward Paul, 59, filed the application in March this year, seeking unconditional access to Samy Vellu, apart from a monthly alimony payment of RM25,000.

Lawyers RSN Rayer and Ramesh Sivakumar who are representing Meeriam, informed reporters of this matter after attending to case management in the chambers of judge Hashim Hamzah.

According to Rayer, Hashim set Jan 17 for the hearing in view of the fact that a suit instituted by S Vell Paari against Samy Vellu, his father, will be heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Dec 17.

On Dec 2, Vell Paari filed the summons seeking an order of the court that an investigation be conducted to ascertain the mental fitness of his father and whether the former MIC president and works minister had the capacity to manage himself and his matters.

Meanwhile, Ramesh claimed that Meeriam and Samy Vellu had a customary marriage at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in 1981 and that the marriage was valid according to the law because it took place before 1982 when all non-Islamic marriages were required to be registered.

Meeriam is seeking the monthly alimony of RM25,000 for her personal needs, as well to cover the salary of her housemaid and maintenance costs for her home which was gifted to her by Samy Vellu.

Meeriam told reporters she had last met with Samy Vellu six months ago in Kuala Lumpur and alleged that he was in a good condition, including mentally.

"I met him for about one hour and he advised me not to worry, not to go to Kuala Lumpur and that he would come to Ipoh," she said. - Bernama