Syamsul Yusof, Puteri Sarah fail to reach divorce agreement

KUALA LUMPUR: Director-actor Syamsul Yusof and his first wife, Puteri Sarah failed to reach an agreement to divorce amicably at the Syariah Lower Court here today.

Syarie lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Puteri Sarah, informed syarie judge Akmalluddin Ilyas that both parties (Puteri Sarah and Syamsul) had discussed the terms of the settlement, but had failed to reach an agreement.

"Efforts to resolve their problem have not been successful. Therefore, I request that the court read the report of the Conciliation Committee (JKP) involving both parties before taking appropriate action," said Akberdin, who also requested that the proceedings continue with the appointment of hakam.

The court has set today for Syamsul, whose real name is Mohd Shamsul Md Yusof, 39, to pronounce the talak (divorce proclamation) on Puteri Sarah, 38, whose full name is Puteri Sarah Liyana Megat Kamaruddin, after the couple reached an agreement to dissolve their marriage amicably and peacefully.

Meanwhile, syarie lawyer Azmi Mohd Rais, representing Syamsul, confirmed that efforts to resolve the case were not successful after the draft agreement submitted to Puteri Sarah in the previous proceedings was amended by the actress.

According to him, Puteri Sarah had made several changes to the draft agreement, among which she still wanted to proceed with the civil suit against Syamsul's second wife Ira Kazar or Faghira Fatini and her family.

"Puteri Sarah also demanded a high mutaah amount and some other assets which my client did not agree to," said the lawyer.

On Akberdin's request to continue the proceedings by means of hakam, Azmi said they objected because the JKP session was carried out separately.

"Puter Sarah refused to meet Syamsul and his representatives and she admitted it through her TikTok account.

"The JKP session was also conducted separately...the JKP session should have been held for both husband and wife to reconcile, but that did not happen.

"I suggest that the JKP session be held again because we are not satisfied with how it was conducted. Yang Arif (the judge) has the authority to dismiss the previous JKP and appoint a new JKP," he said.

Akberdin, in response to Azmi's claim that the JKP session was imperfect and defective, said the defendant's (Syamsul) lawyer cannot make any speculations regarding the matter.

"Neither he nor I were present when the JKP proceedings were held. Therefore, he cannot draw the conclusion that the session was flawed," he added.

The court then fixed May 25 for the JKP chairman to appear and explain the JKP proceedings.

On Jan 16, Puteri Sarah filed for divorce from Syamsul on the grounds that there was no more understanding and prolonged shiqaq (disagreement) between them and that they could no longer live together as husband and wife according to Syariah law.

The couple got married on March 8, 2014, and is blessed with two children, Shaikul Islam, 6, and Sumayyah, 4.

Last Jan 6, Syamsul admitted to having married Ira in a video shared through his Instagram account.

Meanwhile, Puteri Sarah, when met by reporters after the proceedings, said that the lawsuit she filed against Ira will continue despite Syamsul's request for her to drop it and the "Andai Itu Takdirnya" star did not agree when her husband asked for a reduction in the amount of nafkah (maintenance) for their two children by 30 per cent.

"I will not budge, and for the sake of the children, I am willing to fight. I am not asking for the distribution of matrimonial assets and what I am asking for is only for the children," she said.

-- BERNAMA