Haidar Mohd Noor CJ (Malaya):

The issue before us is on the question of jurisdiction of the courts, that is, whether the subject-matter before the High Court in Penang is within the jurisdiction of the civil courts or the syariah courts? This demarcation of the jurisdiction of the two courts came about when Parliament in 1988 amended art. 121 of the Federal Constitution('the Constitution') by the following art. 121(1A):

(1A) The courts referred to in Clause (1) shall have no jurisdiction in respect of any matter within the jurisdiction of the Syariah courts.

The courts referred to in cl. (1) are the civil courts.

The amendment came into force from 10 June 1988 (Act A 704).

It is not disputed that the respondents (plaintiffs) are Muslims and the appellant (defendant) is a body established under the Administration of Islamic Religious Affairs Enactment of the State of Penang 1993 ('Penang Enactment'), an Enactment concerning the enforcement and administration of Islamic Religious Affairs, regulation and management of the Islamic Religious authority, and related matters. Ordinarily, the parties would come within the civil jurisdiction of the syariah court by virtue of s. 48(2)(b) of the Penang Enactment which provides:

(b) in its civil jurisdiction, hear and determine all actions and proceedings in which all the parties are Muslims ...

The subject matter before the High Court Penang, inter alia, is in relation to the question of a will by a deceased Muslim. In granting leave to appeal to this court on 23 September 2002, the primary question for determination of this court is:

In determining the question regarding a will by a deceased Muslim, the proper court having the jurisdiction to determine it is the syariah court.

We heard the appeal on the above primary question on 14 January 2003 and answered the question in the affirmative. We accordingly allowed the appeal with costs and set aside the order of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the order of the High Court. We now proceed to give our reasons.

In their writ action in the High Court the respondents seek the following:

11. (a) Suatu Deklarasi menyatakan bahawa tanah dan hereditamen yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Lot No. 55(1), Mukim 13, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang terkandung di dalam Geran No. 477 dan 1767 dan sekarang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 1396 terkandung dalam Geran (First Grade) No. 23631 berserta dengan sekeping Lot lagi yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Lot No. 193 (2), Bandar Georgetown, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang dan sekarang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 962, Seksyen 3, Bandar Georgetown terkandung dalam Geran (First Grade) No. 21582.

Dikembalikan kepada Pesaka Sheik Eusoff Bin Shaik Latiff, Simati.

(b) Perintah selanjutnya meletakkan hak atas nama Plaintif-Plaintif sebagai Pemegang Amanah kepada Harta Pesaka Sheik Eusoff Bin Sheik Latiff, Simati kesemua tanah dan hereditamen yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Lot No. 55(1), Mukim 13, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang yang terkandung dalam Geran No. 477 dan 1767 dan sekarang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 1396 terkandung dalam Geran (First Grade) No. 23631 serta dengan Lot No. 193 (2), Bandar Georgetown, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang yang sekarang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 962, Seksyen 3, Bandar Georgetown terkandung dalam Geran (First Grade) No. 21582.

(bb) Defendan-Defendan hendaklah menunjukkan suatu akaun yang menyatakan kesemua wang yang diterima dan perbelanjaan ke atas hartanah yang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 962, Seksyen 3, Bandar Georgetown, Penang dan Lot 1396, Daerah Timur Laut, Penang.

SECARA ALTERNATIF

(c) Gantirugi.

(d) Suatu Injunksi menahan Defendan atau orang suruhannya atau sesiapa sahaja dari menjual, memindahmilik atau campurtangan atau sebarang tindakan atau urusan ke atas tanah dan hereditamen yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Lot 55(1), Mukim 13, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang yang terkandung dalam Geran No. 477 dan 1767 dan sekarang dikenali sebagai Lot No. 1396 terkandung dalam Geran (First