Kuala Lumpur:The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) announced plans to file a review application against the Court of Appeal's decision to acquit independent preacher Da'i Syed, or Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohammad Shaiful, of a rape charge.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the AGC respects the majority decision made by the Court of Appeal on November 5, 2026, which acquitted Syed Shah Iqmal of the charge under Section 376 of the Penal Code. The AGC's statement mentioned that after examining the Court of Appeal panel's judgment, the Public Prosecutor decided to proceed with a review application under Rule 105 of the Rules of the Court of Appeal 1994.

The application will focus on legal principles and the established criteria and threshold for the Court of Appeal's review jurisdiction, as highlighted in the Federal Court's decision in Asean Security Paper Mills Sdn Bhd v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd. The prosecution's submissions will address whether exceptional circumstances exist that meet the legal threshold for the court to consider exercising its review jurisdiction.

The AGC emphasized its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice through existing legal channels. The Court of Appeal's decision, made by Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid, acquitted Syed Shah Iqmal in a 2-1 majority decision, while Justice Datuk Meor Hashimi Abdul Hamid upheld the conviction and sentence.

In December 2020, Syed Shah Iqmal faced charges of raping a 23-year-old woman in 2019 and pleaded not guilty. Initially acquitted by the Shah Alam Sessions Court in April 2023, the case saw further legal proceedings culminating in the recent Court of Appeal's decision after various appeals by both the defendant and prosecution.

Source BERNAMA News Agency