Kuala lumpur: Founder of Sapura Holdings Sdn Bhd, Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir, has taken a legal step by applying to the Syariah High Court here to confirm a gift (hibah) of 14.8 million company shares given to his two sons in 1997.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsuddin, acting as the plaintiff, filed this application on September 2 through his legal representatives, Messrs Azhar Aziz and Associates. The application names his eldest son, Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin, 64, and his second son, Datuk Shahriman Shamsuddin, 56, as the first and second defendants, respectively.

The request for confirmation arises in the context of a separate petition by Shamsuddin seeking to revoke the hibah granted to his son Shahril, who currently serves as the chief executive officer of Sapura Group, citing personal reasons. Shahril is contesting the application to revoke the gift.

Shamsuddin, now 94, is pursuing confirmation of the hibah to his sons, who were recipients of 14.8 million share units each, a gift made 28 years ago. He claims to have conducted the hibah ceremony orally at the Sapura Building in Ulu Klang, Selangor, on November 7, 1997, fulfilling all required elements under Syariah law.

The plaintiff argues that the shares were his absolute property at the time of the hibah, before transferring and registering them under the names of the defendants. He seeks the court’s approval to confirm the hibah, in line with Section 46(2)(b)(vi) of the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993.

In an amended claim, Shamsuddin states he made a written declaration on June 25 this year to revoke the hibah for Shahril and formally announced this revocation before witnesses.

Today’s court proceedings saw Shamsuddin represented by Syarie counsel Datuk Shamsuriah Sulaiman and Suhaimi Saad, while Dr Mohd Rafie Shafie appeared for Shahril, and Fakhrul Azman Abu Hasan for Shahriman. The Syariah High Court Registrar, Niana Nazahar, has scheduled November 18 for case management.