ACTRESS Puteri Sarah Liyana Megat Kamaruddin today filed a full custody claim for her two children, aged six and four, at the Shariah High Court. 

Her counsel, Puteri Ummi Kartini Abd Latiff, said her client filed the claim in accordance with Section 81 of the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act1984. 

“This is not something strange, because according to Section 81, the parties who are in the process of getting a divorce may file a claim before or after the divorce… it is the right of both parties. 

“However, the law is clear that the mother is the best person to take care of the children, so that’s what Sarah is doing today,” she told reporters. 

Puteri Ummi said a copy of the custody claim document has not been handed over to the defendant, Puteri Sarah’s husband, film director Syamsul Yusof.  

“When we get the chance to meet the defendant’s counsel, we will hand it over to him,” she said, adding that the date for re-mention of the case is still unknown. 

On the nusyuz application filed against Puteri Sarah by her husband, Puteri Ummi said she had yet to receive the summons and claim. 

“It is alright for him (Syamsul) to file the (nusyuz) application. We will give our reply after looking into his demands but so far, on our side we haven’t received anything,” she said.  

Yesterday, Syamsul filed a nusyuz application at the Gombak Timur Syariah Lower Court alleging that Puteri Sarah had disrupted their marriage by often contacting her already married ex-boyfriend. 

On January 16, Puteri Sarah filed for an amicable divorce from her husband with the permission of the court under Section 47 of the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984, on the grounds that there was prolonged shiqaq (disagreement) between them and they could no longer live together as husband and wife according to Shariah law. – Bernama, March 22, 2023.