KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): The widow of the late cabinet minister Tan Sri Jamaludin Jarjis is discussing an out-of-court settlement with her four children and mother-in-law in their dispute over matrimonial assets worth an estimated RM2 billion, the Shariah High Court was told on Tuesday (Nov 1).
The court was scheduled to hear Puan Sri Kalsom Ismail's amended statement of claim on Tuesday but the matter was adjourned by judge Abdul Shukor Abd Hamid after the parties informed him that they were discussing a possible settlement.
Kalsom had named her children Ikhwan Hafiz Jamaludin, Nur Anis Jamaludin, Nurul Alyaa Jamaludin and Noor Adilla Jamaludin, besides Jamaludin's mother Aminah Abdullah, as defendants.
Abdul Shukor instructed the parties to update the court on Jan 31 on the outcome of the discussion.
Ikhwan Hafiz and Nur Anis were named as administrators of Jamaludin's estate in the letters of administration granted by the Civil High Court in 2017.
Zuri Zabuddin Budiman, the lawyer representing the children, confirmed that hearing was adjourned to allow the parties to settle the dispute through discussion.
The discussion will be carried out without the attendance of lawyers, he told The Edge when contacted.
Aminah's lawyer, Nur Hidayah A Bakar, also separately confirmed that the parties will be conducting negotiations.
Kalsom was represented by counsel Nur Husniah Husin.
Kalsom, a dentist by qualification, is seeking an amendment to remove and add on several listed assets in the statement of claim filed four years ago.
She is claiming one-eight of the estate, while Aminah is claiming one-sixth of the assets, under the Islamic faraid system.
Jamaludin, a one-time science, technology and innovation minister, was said to have several bank accounts locally and in foreign countries, along with several properties including houses in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the US where he had served as Malaysia's ambassador.
A trusted confidant of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the ex-Rompin member of Parliament was killed in a helicopter crash near Semenyih with five others, including Najib's principal private secretary Datuk Azlin Alias, in April 2015.
Aminah has also filed claims in the civil court, with the case presently on appeal and cross appeal.