Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Couple dissolves marriage after wife embraces Islam
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By M. MAGESWARI
PETALING JAYA: A teacher and a hotel manager became the first couple in the country to dissolve their marriage amicably through the Syariah lower court after she embraced Islam.
Today, Aishah Sandhera Abdullah @ Sandhera Debbie Kimbi, 27, from Sibu, Sarawak, applied to the Syariah lower court here to dissolve her marriage because of the change of religion.
She made her application under Section 46(2) of the Islamic Family Law Enactment (Selangor) 2003.
The court granted the application to dissolve the marriage.
In confirming the dissolution of the marriage for her, Syariah court judge Ghazali Ahmad praised the couple for settling the matter good-naturedly.
According to the statement of claim, Aishah, who is the plaintiff, had married Reynolds Chua Guan Teck, 28, on May 5, 2004.
The marriage was registered under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 as both were Christians during the period. The couple has no children.
Aishah converted to Islam on Feb 2 while the defendant was still a Christian.
The couple then could not live together under Islamic law because of the difference in religions.
She filed the summons and statement of claim on Aug 1 for the dissolution of the marriage.
The defendant had filed a divorce petition on July 20 at the Shah Alam High Court (civil) under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act.
The Shah Alam Court has not set a date to hear the divorce matter.
Speaking to reporters later, Aishah's lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar said the case set a precedent for couples to dissolve their marriages amicably when one party converts to Islam.
He said such settlements should be encouraged as it resulted in a win-win situation for both.
Earlier, Aishah informed Ghazali that she would attend the divorce case proceeding for Chua at the Shah Alam High Court.
