AG allowed to intervene

> Court sets Oct 20 to hear Gerakan’s application to challenge Kelantan’s hudud law

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court yesterday allowed the attorneygeneral to intervene in Gerakan’s motion to challenge the constitutionality of the Kelantan hudud law, passed by the state in March.

The Federal Court panel led by Chief Judge Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop allowed the application by AG’s Chambers to be a party to the case.

The panel fixed Oct 6 for written submissions from all three parties and set Oct 20 to hear Gerakan’s application to challenge Kelantan’s hudud law.

On May 8, three Gerakan members filed an application seeking for leave of the Federal Court to initiate a petition to challenge the constitutionality of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code II 1993 (Amendment 2015).

The motion, filed by Tuan Mat Tuan Wil, Soh Hoon Lee and Chung Mon Sie, stated that the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly did not have the power to make laws penalising criminal acts that are punishable under the federal law.

They named the Kelantan state government as the respondent in their notice of motion.

Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan told the panel that the applicants had no objection to make the AG a party to the suit.

Lawyer Datuk Harpal Singh, who is representing the three applicants, also confirmed to the panel that his clients have no issues in AG’s intervention.

The other panel members are Datuk Zainun Ali, Datuk Ramly Ali, Datuk Azahar Mohamed and Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim.

The Kelantan government was represented by Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah.

The Gerakan members were also represented by co-counsel Andy Yong, Chai Ko Thing, Ong Sai Ling and Raymond Leong.

Datuk Khutubul Azman Bukhari from the Bar Council held a watching brief.