Ex-Felcra chairman need not pay RM11m

IPOH: The Syariah Appeals Court here has allowed the appeal of former Felcra Bhd chairman Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin to not pay his ex-wife RM11.2mil in cash and assets. 

In a judgment read out by Syariah Chief Judge Sheikh Ghazali Abdul Rahman, the court ruled that the Syariah High Court here had acted out of its jurisdiction. 

“The matter should rightfully come under the jurisdiction of the Federal Territory Syariah Court since the divorce was confirmed there. 

“The High Court had erred in hearing the matter, not to mention handing out a judgment,” said Justice Sheikh Ghazali, who headed a three-member panel on the case. 

Great relief: Hamzah Zainuddin (left) is all smiles as he leaves the Syariah Appeals Court inIpoh yesterday. With him is his lawyer Zainul Rija.

The other judges were Justice Ibrahim Lembut and Justice Muhammad Asri Abdullah. 

Hamzah, 50, hugged his lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar after the verdict, and later posed for press photographers. 

Hamzah’s ex-wife, Nooraini Abdul Rashid, 49, who was represented by Asmuni Awi, was not present in court. 

On April 8, 2004, the Syariah High Court here ordered Hamzah to pay RM1.2mil to Nooraini as cash for mutaah (compensation for disgrace due to divorce) and accumulated salaries. 

The remaining RM10mil was to be given in movable and immovable assets acquired by the couple during their marriage. 

Alternatively, Hamzah was to transfer a third of his shares in three public-listed companies to Nooraini. 

The court had also ordered that the matrimonial gifts of two cars and a house in Subang Jaya, Selangor, which had been given to Nooraini, remain in her custody.  

The couple, who were married on May 2, 1981, have four children.