Sometimes, a Malay-sounding name can get a non-Muslim in Malaysia in hot water – unjustly.
An Indonesian Christian woman was acquitted of a khalwat conviction more than two years ago after the Penang Lower Shariah Court ordered the original charges against her dropped.
Lower Shariah Court judge zaini Abdul Rahman this morning ordered the charges against the defendant – charges that are applicable only to Muslims under Malaysian Shariah Law – to be withdrawn.
The 42-year old reflexologist, Halimah, was born a Roman Caholic, but was still found guilty of the Islamic offence of khalwat, or close proximity between persosn of the opposite sex who are not relatives or spouses, by the Penang Shariah Court on May 15, 2012. She had pleaded guilty to the charge as a result of her confusion over the meaning of the offence, as she was not represented by a lawyer at the hearing.
Halimah was sentenced to 14 days in jail and a fine of RM3,000, but was allowed a stay of execution pending an appeal.
Halimah’s counsel, Wan Faridulhadi Mohamed Yusof, then filed a series of appeals to the Penang Shariah High Court, and the Shariah Court of Appeal. It was only until July this year that a retrial was set into motion by a second panel of the Shariah Court of Appeal, the third time Halimah’s appeal had come before the courts.
The Malay Mail Online reports that Indonesian Consul General Ronald P Manik intervened in the case, writing to the Shariah Court of Appeal to ask for updates on the case.
Manik stressed in his correspondence that Halimah, as a Catholic, was not subject to the Shariah Court’s jurisdiction.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for helping me,” the 42-year-old reflexologist said, offering her heartfelt gratitude to her employer Datin Josephine Ong, her lawyers, the Indonesian Consul-General for helping her with the case and reporters in court.
“I am so glad that this is over and I can go to work without having the fear of this case hanging over me,” Halimah said outside the courtroom.
She said she had missed her daughter’s May wedding but now she will concentrate on saving up so that she can go back to Indonesia next month.
“All these years, I’ve been feeling so afraid and in limbo over this case,” she said, and voiced her gladness for having a supportive employer who stood by her throughout the trial.
Photo: KE Ooi / The Star
