KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — The High Court has postponed to Oct 29 for decision on a judicial review application by a Christian woman for rights to keep in her possession eight compact discs (CDs) containing the word “Allah”.
Lawyer Lim Heng Seng, representing Jill Ireland, informed reporters on the date after management of the case which was held in chambers before judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin today, which was also attended by senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan.
The court had fixed today for the decision after both parties completed their submission on the matter on Nov 15 last year.
Ireland, a Melanau clerk from Sarawak, filed the judicial review application on Aug 20, 2008 for the return of the eight CDs which were seized from her on May 11, 2008, upon her arrival at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang.
The CDs were with the title Cara Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah, Hidup Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah and Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah.
On July 21, 2014, the High Court ordered that the CDs be returned to Ireland, but it did not make an order on the declaration applied for by the woman that she had the right to keep, use and import published materials containing the word ‘Allah’.
On June 23, 2015, the Court of Appeal endorsed the High Court’s decision which ordered the Home Ministry to return the seized CDs to her after dismissing the appeal by the ministry and Malaysian government against the High Court’s decision.
The Home Ministry was ordered to return all the CDs within a month from the date of the decision, and also ordered that the declaration sought by Ireland be heard in the High Court. — Bernama
