Ex-CJ: Strengthen Syariah Courts, Be Firm On Case Adjournments
Former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi said that many cases in the syariah courts are delayed due to repeated adjournments and inefficiencies in court administration.
He said adjournments often occur due to various factors, including the absence of lawyers or parties involved, as well as adjournment requests made without valid reasons. Such delays, he added, not only waste time but also unfairly burden innocent parties, particularly in cases involving divorce, maintenance claims, and hadanah (child custody), especially those affecting the underprivileged.
'That is why I urge judges to be firm in making decisions and to reject adjournment requests that lack strong justification.
'Adjourned cases are simply a waste of time. The court is meant to serve justice, but when cases drag on for years, we are essentially denying justice, and it is the innocent who suffer,' he said.
He said this to reporters after delivering a presentation titled 'Memartabatkan Mahkamah Syariah di Malaysia' in conjunction with the Penang Syariah Law and Judicial Convention here today.
Also present were Malaysian Bar Council president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab and Penang Syariah chief judge Za'im Md Yudin.
Explaining further, Zaki suggested that the service delivery system in the syariah court be improved to ensure that those in need receive proper assistance without being burdened by complicated or inconvenient procedures.
'I propose that the syariah court administration assist individuals who cannot afford lawyers by creating user-friendly templates to simplify the process of filing cases.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Cambodia PM agrees to ceasefire proposed by Anwar
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has agreed to the ceasefire proposal with Thailand suggested by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. In a Facebook post today, Manet said he agreed to the ceasefire because Cambodia did not initiate the fighting. "The key to resolving the current armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is the genuine willingness of the Thai side to accept a ceasefire, which is the first step towards finding further solutions between the two countries," Manet said in his posting. Manet clarified that there was unclear reporting by various international media regarding the proposed ceasefire talks initiated by Anwar, the current Asean chair. Manet said he only agreed to the ceasefire after hearing from Anwar that Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, agreed to peace talks. But regrettably, the Thai side changed their position on the issue, he said in his posting. "However, it is regrettable that just over an hour later, the Thai side informed that they had reversed their position from agreeing to the ceasefire," said Manet. Anwar said he spoke to both prime ministers on resolving the ongoing conflict on Thursday. The border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand escalated after soldiers from both sides engaged in a clash on Thursday morning along the Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear areas. The two neighbours have been quarrelling over an 817-km undemarcated border for decades, which has harmed diplomatic ties. - Bernama


New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Anwar: Malaysia won't ignore Thai-Cambodia conflict
ALOR STAR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says the government is not taking lightly the ongoing conflict between Thailand and Cambodia and its impact on Malaysia. Anwar said that although the situation in Malaysia remained stable and calm, the country must learn from the experiences of its neighbours. "I believe, as of now, the leaders of both countries appear ready (to cease attacks), but we must remain vigilant as the Asean region is geopolitically very strategic. "We in Malaysia do not take it lightly even though the situation in our country is stable and calm; we learn from the experiences of our neighbouring countries," he said when met by reporters after attending a closed-door meeting with PKR leaders from Perlis, Kedah and Penang here today. He said the conflict should also be addressed through diplomatic efforts, and both leaders had, in principle, agreed to halt the fighting, although there appeared to be some violations at the border. Anwar said he had contacted the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and was optimistic that both countries would stop the attacks to allow a peace process to take place. "They (the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia) have given very good cooperation…. Both prime ministers told me, 'Anwar, thank you very much, we accept your role and we want you to carry on'," said Anwar. The Prime Minister said he had also asked Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to contact the foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia regarding the issue. Yesterday, Bernama reported that Anwar welcomed the positive signals and willingness shown by Bangkok and Phnom Penh in considering a ceasefire to prevent further conflict at the border of the two countries. Anwar was reported to have contacted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Thursday afternoon to express Malaysia's concern over the escalating tensions. The media previously reported that Thai and Cambodian troops clashed on Thursday in a disputed border area, with both sides accusing each other of sparking the latest confrontation. Tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations have risen since May 28 following a bloody incident in the Preah Vihear area that claimed the life of a Cambodian soldier.


New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Thailand open to ceasefire but seeks clarification from Cambodia
BANGKOK: Thailand has no objection to a ceasefire in its ongoing border clashes with Cambodia but is seeking greater clarity on the terms, acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said Friday. Phumtham, who is also Interior Minister, said he spoke with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who called on Thursday evening and has offered to act as a mediator for a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. Thailand, he said, agrees in principle with the offer but stressed that Cambodia must first demonstrate a clear and sincere commitment. "We have no objection, but for a ceasefire to happen, there must be clarity. We've been trying to achieve this all along, but to no avail," Phumtham said at a press conference on the Thailand-Cambodia border situation on Friday. He revealed that he had asked Anwar to ensure there is a concrete commitment and guarantees that similar incidents would not recur. "Only then can we consider the next steps. For now, our military remains on high alert," he said. On Thursday, Anwar in his capacity as current Asean Chair has called Phumtham and Cambodian Premier Hun Manet, appealing to them for an immediate ceasefire and return to peaceful dialogue to resolve the ongoing border dispute. Anwar said Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of Asean unity and shared responsibility. Thai and Cambodian forces clashed early Thursday in a disputed border area, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the latest round of violence. The latest round of hostility followed a skirmish between troops of the two countries near the Preah Vihear area on May 28. A Cambodian soldier was killed in the shootout. The two neighbouring countries have been locked in recurring diplomatic spats over a long-standing border dispute. - Bernama