JAKESS's fast track divorce process not aimed to encourage marital breakdown

The fast track divorce process implemented by the Selangor Syariah Judiciary Department (JAKESS) is not aimed to encourage marital breakdown but to help reduce backlog of divorce cases.

Selangor Syariah Chief Judge, Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said since its initial trial in January followed by its launch in July, the process had so far settled a total of 861 divorce cases.

He said the process had reduced backlogs of cases by more than 40 per cent.

"Divorce is not something you do on impulse but should be a last resort for couples to dissolve a failed marriage through mutual consent.

"Through this fast track process we help couples settle their divorce within six hours compared to the previous 90 days and the couples can then move on with their lives," he told reporters at a tea reception with media practitioners here on Friday.

Mohd Na'im admitted that Selangor had the highest backlog of divorce cases in the country which was due to various factors, among them, the prosecution's failure in tracking third parties and irreconcilable differences between the spouses.