Malay rights group Perkasa's application to be an amicus curae (friend of the court) in Mohamed Tawfik Ismail's suit against the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) was today dismissed by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

The decision was made by Justice Kamaludin Md Said in chambers, with no order on costs.

Rosli Dahlan, the lawyer of Tawfik, who is is the son of former deputy prime minister Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, told reporters that Perkasa had, in wanting to intervene, presented itself as a neutral body...