By Nordiana Barka
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories Syariah Lower Court’s fast track service, which was introduced in 2021, has successfully resolved cases, including divorce, within a day.
Syariah Chief Judge of the Federal Territories Syariah Court (MSWP) Mohd Asri Tahir said that it was on the condition that the parties must have a mutual agreement before the case was registered at the counter of the Syariah lower courts’ fast track.
“The case will then be heard by a judge, reserved to handle the case in the Syariah lower court fast track, and the court will give a written order on the same day the case is registered,” he said when contacted by Bernama recently.
He added that there are five categories of cases handled by the Syariah lower court fast track, including applications for divorce, confirmation of divorce decrees, reconciliation confirmation, and ‘wali hakim’ (legal guardian appointed by the court).
Mohd Asri said before the service was introduced, the parties had to wait for 21 days to obtain a mention date before the judge after the case was filed in court.
Apart from that, it also reduces the backlog of cases, thus improving services to MSWP customers in particular, and the Federal Territories community in general, he said.
He added that the fast track service has been improved by extending it to the Federal Territory Putrajaya Syariah Lower Court, from March 6.
According to him, a total of 4,743 cases were resolved through the fast track service, with 797 cases, or 100 per cent, completed in 2021; 1,660 cases, or 99.75 per cent, completed in 2022; and 2,286 cases, or 97.56 per cent, completed in 2023.
In providing the best service to the community, in addition to the fast track service, MSWP also created a courtroom designated for hadhanah claims, alimony and criminal cases, for more efficient handling of the cases.
Meanwhile, Syariah lawyer, Nur Hidayah A. Bakar, said that the service can reduce the time it takes to resolve the case and the cost to the parties to appear in court.
“My clients are happy with this fast track service, as their cases can be resolved quickly, and they don’t have to appear in court repeatedly to appear before the judge, just to obtain a date,” she said.
A private sector employee, Siti Khadijah Abdullah, 45, said that the fast track service, introduced by the Syariah lower court, greatly facilitates the parties’ affairs for divorce cases.
“I filed a divorce at the fast track counter. It only takes a few hours to complete. If a couple agrees to resolve a domestic problem, it is better to use this fast track,” she said. – Bernama
