Lawyer Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, who represented Mahmud Abu Bekir, said Syariah High Court Registrar Nor Faiz Asfal Abu Bakar granted the stay pending his client’s appeal against the judgment.

In a WhatsApp message to the media, Zainul Rijal said last Monday, a notice of appeal was filed against the March 10 decision by Judge Muhamad Abdul Karim Wahab who ordered his client to pay the “mutaah” claim to his ex-wife.

Muhamad Abdul Karim in his decision had ordered Mahmud Abu Bekir, 53, as the defendant, to make the “mutaah” payment in three instalments beginning March 31.

Lawyer Dr Mohd Rafie Shafie, representing Shahnaz, 53, had earlier said the RM30 million decided by the court was the highest quantum ever offered by the Syariah Court in a “mutaah” claim so far.

The couple, who married on Jan 9, 1992 and have a son, Raden Murya, 23, divorced on May 11, 2011.

On June 9, 2011, Shahnaz had filed a “mutaah” claim of RM100 million.

Mahmud Abu Bekir is the son of Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

– BERNAMA