KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here postponed to Oct 22 the judicial review hearing sought by Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd, which owns the Borders bookstores, and two others to challenge the seizure of Irshad Manji’s controversial book by the Federal Territory Islamic Department (Jawi).
Justice Datuk Rohana Yusuf fixed the date in chambers yesterday.
On May 23, Berjaya Books, Borders general manager of operations and merchandising Stephen Fung Wye Keong and store manager of the Borders bookstore at The Gardens Mall in Mid Valley City, Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz, filed the application against Jawi, the Home Minister and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic religious affairs.
The three applicants sought, among others, a certiorari order to quash the decision by Jawi’s officers in raiding, searching and seizing Irshad Manji’s book, titled ‘Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta’ and ‘Allah, Liberty and Love’ on May 23 at the Borders bookstore at the mall.
They also sought a certiorari order to quash a decision to prosecute Nik Raina at the Syariah High Court for distributing the book.
Nik Raina was charged on June 19 with distributing and selling the book, said to contravene Islamic law, at the Borders bookstore involved between 8.41 pm and 9.45pm on May 23.
Meanwhile, in the same court, Justice Rohana fixed Oct 4 for case management of a hearing for a judicial review sought by the publisher of Irshad Manji’s translated book against the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) action in seizing 180 books in May.
ZI Publications and Mohd Ezra Mohd Zaid filed the application on July 9.
They named Jais, its Director- General, the department’s enforcement chief, Selangor Syariah prosecution chief, the Selangor government and the Malaysian government as respondents.
They are seeking, among others, an order of certiorari to cancel the action by Jais officers who raided and confiscated 180 books on May 29 at ZI Publications, located at B-2-19, Merchant Square, Jalan Tropicana Selatan 1, PJU 3, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Their application is also for the return of the seized 388-page books. — Bernama