ALOR SETAR: A High Court here fixed Feb 21 to mention the case management of a suit filed by a Madrasah Salihiah surau committee member against the state government to stop the demolishing of the surau to make way for a shopping mall.

High Court senior assistant registrar Nabisha Ibrahim made the decision in her chambers to allow all parties to submit their supporting affidavits for the case.

The surau committee member Jamludin Murad, 67, named the state Islamic Religious Council (MAIK), the Kota Setar land office and the Kedah Government as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

Jamludin is also seeking to declare as null and void the Kedah Fatwa Committees decision last July 4 to allow the developer to pay MAIK compensation for the acquired wakaf (endowment) land.

He is seeking a declaration that MAIK's decision last June 21 that the surau should remain for the benefit of its members was legal and binding.

In his statement of claim, Jamludin said the surau was built in 1909 on land belonging to the descendents of one Hajah Aisyah before it was handed to MAIK as special wakaf land.

He claimed that the Fatwa Committee allowed the developer to pay compensation for the land to MAIK, adding that MAIK was responsible for finding a replacement site.

Jamludin said the developer was to build a surau separate from the mall or on the mall's ground floor.

He added that the Fatwa Committee's decision led to the district land office ordering the surau committee to vacate the land.

Jamludin was represented by counsels Ahmad Rusydi Md Nor and Adnan Seman @ Abdullah while the three defendants were represented by state legal adviser Datuk Anas Ahmad Zakie.

• Murdoch denies planning to spin off UK newspapers
• Europe's economic woes dominate G8 gathering
• US says will bar some Motorola Mobility phones
• Historic Facebook debut falls short of expectations
• Wall St Week Ahead: The market is oversold, but major signs say "sell"
• MB: Kenanga IB took swift action
• MOL may sell Facebook shares
• Adex down 0.8% to RM3.1b
• The Star Business Awards to give away RM1m in ad space
• Hyundai-Sime banks on new Elantra
• Your 10 questions for SungHwan Do
• Up Close & Personal with Edgar Perez
• Motor vehicle sales down to 47,736 in April
• Firefly introduces prepaid change fee
• UEM Land’s Nusajaya wins Fiabci award

• Blind Chinese activist appears to have left for U.S.
• Bomb at south Italy school, several hurt
• G8 leaders broadly united on Iran and Syria
• Blind Chinese activist Chen "at Beijing airport"
• Lawyers for Strauss-Kahn accuser seek reams of information
• Ohio newborn killed by family pit bull mix dog
• Utah paleontologists discover new raptor dinosaur
• Venezuela's Chavez breaks silence with phone call

• Nicol storms into British Open semis
• Lakers avoid 0-3 hole as Sixers tie series
• World No. 1 Wei must beat Lin Dan for M'sia to upset China
• Nicol moves into the British Open last eight
• Norhizzat dedicates Junior Asia Cup hockey victory to his late father
• Tan out to impress after mixed fortunes in last three outings
• Thomas Cup Finals to serve as Olympic dress rehearsal
• Hafiz out to end Thomas Cup career with a bang
• Koreans still a threat without Jae-sung, warns Kim Her
• Fourth time’s the Boon Tan out to impress after mixed fortunes in last three outings
• Only five national bowlers survive the first round cut in Manila
• Roslinda heads to Europe in bid to qualify for Olympics
• Rain specialist Zulfahmi hopes for dry track at French GP
• Djokovic and Nadal move closer to showdown, Maria and Serena in semi-finals
• Finch upsets top seed Kaymer at World Match Play

• Police appalled by deliberate inaction of rapist’s accomplice
• American firms in Malaysia urged to help attract more investors
• Two accused claim trial over attempted murder of daughter-in-law
• RM1b to upgrade 4,300 schools
• Eizaz’s sound decision
• Helpline to fight the fat
• Better training for ambulance drivers
• WargaAMAN thosai protest is off
• Health Ministry sounds alarm over spike in dengue cases
• Ex-con gunned down after high-speed chase