KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday failed in his bid to get the syarie prosecution to commence qazaf (criminal defamation) proceeding against his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Syariah High Court judge Mohd Shukor Sabudin, in allowing a preliminary objection by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Major General (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, and two other respondents, to dismiss the application by Anwar, held that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter.
The task of prosecuting was the absolute discretion of the prosecution, he added.
He said Anwar's application was an attempt to abuse the court process.
Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh member of parliament, filed the application last Jan 7.
He named Jamil Khir, Federal Territory (FT) chief syarie prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain and FT Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali as respondents.
Anwar, when met outside the court, said he would appeal agaisnt the decision.
The three respondents were represented by counsel Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, Roslizam Rahim and Mohd Firdaus Mohd Arifin, while Anwar was represented by syarie lawyer Kamar Aniah Kamaruzaman.
Bernama
