Muslim thinker Kassim Ahmad dies; family to seek compensation from JAWI
(MMO) – Muslim intellectual Kassim Ahmad died aged 84 this morning after falling into a coma yesterday, his lawyer Rosli Dahlan confirmed.
Rosli also said Kassim’s family has instructed him to seek compensation from the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) via court proceedings, as they believe its refusal to drop Shariah charges against the octogenarian had worsened his health.
“He passed away this morning. He was in coma since the night before,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted today.
Just two months ago, the wheelchair-bound Kassim was finally freed from three 2014 Shariah charges of allegedly insulting Islam and defying religious authorities, which were each punishable with a maximum RM3,000 fine or maximum two-year jail, or both.
After the Court of Appeal’s December 2015 and the Federal Court’s March 2016 rulings that found Jawi’s prosecution to be invalid and illegal, the Shariah prosecutors had on August 7, on the instructions of the Shariah court, finally dropped the charges against Kassim.
Kassim had in August expressed relief and gratitude to God over the Shariah court’s acquittal and said he had been vindicated.
His son had then told Malay Mail Online that he was thankful that the whole ordeal stretching over three years was over, noting that his father previously had to just endure the frequent four to five hours’ car trips from Kedah’s Kulim to Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya to attend court cases.
Last February, Kassim had spoken of the difficulties he faced as an 82-year-old in making the regular trips from Kedah to the courts here, while Rosli had then said the bail imposed meant that both Kassim and his three bailors must physically attend every single Shariah court hearing.
