'Allah' CD case: Court postpones decision on judicial review bid to Oct 29, pending settlement talks

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has postponed to Oct 29 for a decision on a judicial review application by a Christian Sarawak native who had applied for her right to possess eight compact discs (CDs) containing the word “Allah”.

Lead counsel for Melanau clerk Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill said this after a case management before High Court judge Justice Nor Bee Ariffin on Monday (Aug 13).

Lim said they would also discuss on the possibility of settling the matter with the Home Ministry.

Senior Federal Counsel Shamdul Bolhassan, who acted for the Home Ministry and the Government, said the court fixed the same day (Oct 29) for parties to update on the outcome of the settlement.

Justice Nor Bee had fixed Monday (Aug 13) for the decision after both parties completed their submission on the matter on Nov 15 last year.

Bill, a Christian, had filed for a judicial review in August 2008 for the return of the eight CDs which were seized from her on May 11, 2008, upon her arrival from Indonesia at the LCCT in Sepang.

The CDs were titled, "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 her but did not make a decision on the declaratory relief she had sought, namely that she had the right to keep, use and import the CDs.

On June 23, 2015, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision and ordered the home minister to return the eight CDs after dismissing the ministry’s appeal. The ministry was ordered to return the CDs within one month from the date of the decision.

The Appeals Court also ordered the High Court to hear her application for the declaratory relief she had applied for.