Bid to strike out Anwar’s qazaf appeal begins in confusion

Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, the lawyer representing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his Shariah suit, turned up late after being informed that the court proceedings would begin at 11am instead of 9am this morning. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, June 22, 2015.

Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom's bid to strike out Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's qazaf appeal against him began on a confusing note today, when the jailed PKR leader's lawyer arrived late for the case at the Kuala Lumpur Shariah Court.

Anwar's counsel, Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, claimed a misunderstanding had occurred after the applicant's lawyers allegedly informed her the case management today would begin at 11am, when in fact it began at 9am.

"We came today because we received a notice from the applicant's lawyers that case management would begin at 11am. But the deputy registrar confirmed the case began at 9am.

"This is unethical behaviour and has caused confusion on Anwar's side. The case starts at 9am, but they told us 11am," she said when met at the court today.

Lawyer Roslizam Rahim, who is representing Jamil, the minister in the Prime Minister's Department, as well as two others, had previously said they were applying for Anwar's case to be struck out because it had become academic.

This was because the former opposition leader was found guilty under Section 377B of the Penal Code and jailed for five years on February 10.

Roslizam had also said the application was made because Shariah prosecution chief Shamsuddin Hussain and Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi) director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali were no longer related to the case.