KUCHING, Oct 7 — A High Court here has fixed Oct 21 to decide if a judicial review application to annul and quash the Education Ministry’s decision to include Khat calligraphy into the Bahasa Malaysia school syllabus, is allowed.

Met after the court proceeding today, an applicant in the case, Dominique Ng Kim Ho, who represents Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration (Sapa), said the court’s decision would rely heavily on whether Khat calligraphy is indeed Islamic.

Ng, who is also a lawyer, said he is relying on Article 11 and 12 of the Federal constitution in that if Khat calligraphy is totally Islamic, its introduction into the syllabus starting from Primary 4 contravenes the said articles that regulate freedom of religion and education.

Ng had filed the application together with Korlous Longer, 35, who represents his Primary Four son, on Aug 20 following the decision of the Education Ministry on the matter.

Ng had argued in court that the Chinese calligraphy is unlike Khat as the former was not being used wholly for religious purposes. — Borneo Post