SEMENYIH, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Syariah Judiciary Department disposed about 40 cases for the Orang Asli community around Hulu Langat via its mobile court programme last year.
Selangor Chief Syarie Judge Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the programme was well received by the community, who previously had to tediously commute to the Hulu Langat Lower Syariah Court in Bangi.
He said matters that required them to travel and personally attend court, such as application for "wali hakim" (stand-in official in lieu of the bride's father) or underage marriage, also posed a financial constraint to them.
"Due to such a hassle, some Orang Asli who had embraced Islam chose to get married according to their customs and not the Islamic law," he told reporters at the solemnisation of 11 couples at the Sungai Lalang Orang Asli Village here today.
Mohd Na'im said in order to facilitate the process, the court staff including the judge would go down to the grassroots to settle matters pertaining to marriage application, solemnisation and trial.
He said the mobile court service was implemented in collaboration with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council and the Orang Asli Development Department.
There had been suggestions that the service should be extended to other places such as hospitals and detention centres, as well as to the differently-able community, said Mohd Na'im.
At the event, he also unveiled the new Mobile Court Kit prototype which functioned as a trial bench and render court proceedings more conducive.
The 20kg kit was created by the National Youth Skills Institute in Hulu Langat.
