The former Perak State Legislative Assembly speaker, a widower, who married Pamella Maree Regan Fox @ Noor Hayati, 67, in 2012, filed the divorce on Feb 3, this year after pronouncing it outside court in Selangor before two witnesses, who were senior officers of the Perak State Islamic Religious Department, on Jan 10.

However, he had failed to attend court here seven times due to ill health and poor mobility.

He was only represented by his lawyer, Mohd Fathi Mat Zin, although a warrant of arrest was issued to him.

At today’s proceeding, syariah judge Muhammad Azriq Ab Rahim allowed the application by the defendant’s counsel, Shamsuriah Sulaiman, to appoint an interpreter to assist her client in the case.

The court rejected the plaintiff’s application for his evidence in the divorce case to be given through an affidavit as the case is bound by Section 57 of the Perak Islamic Family Enactment 2004.

Under this, the registration of a divorce pronounced outside the court requires the court to investigate and ensure the divorce pronouncement is valid under Islamic law.

Earlier, Shamsuriah objected to the plaintiff’s application for his evidence to be given through an affidavit, citing poor health as the reason.

Shamsuriah said the case was brought to court through the plaintiff’s own application and he should therefore be present in court to confirm the divorce pronouncement.

“It involves a woman’s status which is left hanging as she does not know the status of her rights, including maintenance.

“The defendant, who had been living in Australia, was willing to leave her family and friends to marry the plaintiff.”

Shamsuriah urged the court to execute the arrest warrant on the plaintiff.

She said Pamella was left without any maintenance and she now lived alone here with no source of income.

The marriage was the second for both Pamella and Ahmad Azizuddin, who was IJM Corporation chairman from 1984 to 2003.