Nurul Izzah's troubled marriage

KUALA LUMPUR - Marital trouble between Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and businessman Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar Raja Salim surfaced in 2005, though the couple only began living apart on April 17.

Nurul Izzah, 34, left her matrimonial home after becoming stressed out over her marriage.

This was revealed in the report by the reconciliation committee, which was ordered to be formed by the Lower Syariah Court following Nurul Izzah's application for divorce.

Syarie judge Ab Malek Awang read out the report in the presence of Nurul Izzah, her syarie counsel Normawaddah Ramli and Raja Ahmad Shahrir's counsel Zulkifli Che Yong.

Raja Ahmad Shahrir, 35, was not present at yesterday's proceedings.

In the report, Nurul Izzah's representative Rosli Ibrahim said efforts taken to reconcile the couple proved futile as the plaintiff still wished to proceed with the divorce.

Raja Ahmad Shahrir's representative Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa, however, said there was still a chance for reconciliation as problems between both parties could be resolved.

The report further stated that it was now up to the court as there was no room for reconciliation since both parties had their own stand.

Ab Malek fixed Aug 7 for mention on whether the court would appoint two arbitrators or hakam for the husband and wife or to continue with other rulings. The judge also instructed the reconciliation committee report be given to Nurul Izzah and Raja Ahmad Shahrir.

"The defendant must be present on Aug 7 to enable us to proceed with the case," he added.

Earlier, Normawaddah submitted that the court would appoint two arbitrators or hakam for Nurul Izzah and Raja Ahmad Shahrir to discuss divorce matters under Section 48 of the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984.

Zulkifli later said they needed the report to study whether it had fulfilled the requirement under Section 47(7), 47(8), 47(9) and 47(10) of the Act.

"If it fails to fulfil the requirement, then the court shall examine the report again," he said.

He submitted that Section 47 of the Act was to reconcile parties and chances should be given to them.

Normawaddah interjected that under Section 47(14) of the Act, if there was no understanding between both parties, the court should thus advise the husband to pronounce one talaq (declaration of divorce) before the court.

The case was mentioned for the first time before the same judge on Jan 21.

Late last December, the PKR vice-president, who is the eldest child of PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the party's president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, filed a divorce petition against Raja Ahmad Shahrir at the Lower Syariah Court.

The couple were married on May 9, 2003, and have two children - a seven-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy. -Asiaone