THE Kuala Lumpur Shariah Court has sentenced Maria Chin Abdullah to seven days in jail for contempt of court by insulting the Islamic judicial system.

However, the Petaling Jaya MP was not present in court as she is currently warded in hospital.

Her lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, said his client will appeal the decision and urged the court to suspend the jail sentence.

Shariah judge Fouzi Mokhtar allowed a stay of execution and ordered the defence to file its appeal within 14 days.

Chin’s charge is related to a statement she made on September 5, 2019, when she said Muslim women are still being discriminated against under the shariah judicial system in Malaysia.

Her statement is in relation to the Shariah Court’s decision to sentence SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin’s ex-wife, Emilia Hanafi, to seven days in prison for rescheduling his visitation dates.

Fouzi, in a written judgment sighted by The Malaysian Insight, said Chin used irrelevant facts when commenting on the dispute between the former couple.

The court found that Chin, through her defence on February 21, 2020, failed to justify that her media statement did not scandalise the Islamic judicial system.

“She (Chin) does not show any remorse and even blamed the system (for allegedly discriminating against women),” said Fouzi.

“The real facts in Emilia’s case are not on alimony dispute as stated by the respondent, but about her failure to abide by a court order regarding her children’s visitation rights.

“What the respondent said against the Shariah Court has slandered and tarnished the image of the court.

“As a lawmaker tasked with debating and passing federal laws, Chin should not question the court in performing its duties.”

In a related matter, Rosli told the court that Chin filed a judicial review to the High Court last year, seeking to quash the Shariah Court order that allows SM Faisal to initiate contempt proceedings against her, reported Free Malaysia Today.

Chin claimed that the order is made in bad faith.

Rosli said: “We urge the court to halt the decision today pending the judicial review outcome.”

SM Faisal’s lawyer, Sulaiman Abdullah, objected to the request to suspend the decision today, saying that there is no stay order from the civil court on the proceedings.

The High Court will hear Chin’s bid to commence a legal challenge against the contempt order only on May 26. – April 25, 2022.