Lawyers Damien Chan and Ian Hannibal Liang, representing the Lady Superior of the Society of Saint Maur, told Judge Noorin Badaruddin that the school and the government were now in the midst of settling the court case, which was filed before the extension was announced.

The school had mounted a legal challenge, claiming the government’s decision not to renew the lease violates the fundamental liberty of a person and their right to education.

Chan told reporters later the court fixed another case mention date on June 3 pending update on the settlement. Federal counsel M Kogilambigai appeared for the government.

The Society of Saint Maur operates CBN, which is one of the oldest in the country and one of the last few remaining all-girls schools in the city centre.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a media statement on April 22 that CBN’s land lease has been extended for another 60 years, “specifically for educational purposes only”.

The PMO also said chief secretary to the government Mohd Zuki Ali and the Federal Territories Lands and Mines Office director Muhammad Yasir Yahya met with Theresa Chua, the Lady Superior of the Society of Saint Maur, and the parties agreed with the solution.

The extension announcement came after the school won its bid to proceed with the legal challenge in questioning the government’s earlier refusal to renew the land lease, scheduled to expire on Sept 6.