Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah has obtained leave to initiate legal proceedings to challenge the Syariah High Court’s decision to allow committal proceedings against her for criticising the court’s decision in sentencing a businessperson’s former wife to jail.

High Court judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh also granted Maria’s request for a stay order of the committal proceedings in the Syariah Court pending disposal of the judicial review application.

The judge allowed Maria’s leave application for a judicial review after ruling that...