Syarie lawyer can challenge his suspension order, rules judge

The Star
by M. MAGESWARI

KUALA LUMPUR: Famous syarie lawyer Muhamad Burok, who was suspended from practising in the Federal Territories for six months for his role in a syariah matter without instructions from his client, has been allowed to challenge the order.

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim granted leave to Muhamad for a judicial review application and a stay against the suspension order until Oct 30.

He did this after hearing submissions from Muhamad’s lawyers Dr Zulqarnain Lukman and Mohd Fikah Sanusi in chambers yesterday.

Dr Zulqarnain said the judge had ruled that there were merits to be heard in Muhamad’s case.

“We will now file our papers for the hearing of the judicial review,” he said.

Muhamad, he added, was handling five syariah cases for the client, who lodged a complaint with the Federal Territory Syarie Lawyer Committee here.

“We received a letter, dated Dec 6, 2010, from the committee notifying us of the complaint,” said Dr Zulqarnain.

He claimed that Muhamad had replied to the committee in a letter dated Feb 22, last year and had attached a copy of the details in his diary explaining how he had acted for the client.

However, the committee had issued an order dated April 23 saying that Muhamad had been suspended for six months for violating two provisions of the Practice Direction 2002 on the Ethics of the Syarie Lawyer.