KUALA LUMPUR (July 2): The proceedings to claim matrimonial property worth RM2.1 billion filed by the widow of the late Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, Puan Seri Dr Kalsom Ismail, against her four children and 90-year-old mother in-law was paused on Tuesday after the family resolved to discuss a settlement on Wednesday.

The trial before Syariah High Court Judge Abu Suffian Abdul Yaziz had started on Tuesday with Dr Kalsom reading her opening statement. However, proceedings were stood down as the family had decided to discuss a settlement to the matter.

The matter was confirmed by Syariah lawyer Nur Hidayah A Bakar, who represented Jamaluddin's mother, Aminah Abdullah, as the plaintiff when contacted by The Edge.

She said that the family will be having “serious settlement” discussions on Wednesday morning at court and they will inform the judge of their decision.

The trial was scheduled to begin on Tuesday and conclude on Wednesday. However, Nur Hidayah informed that if the family cannot come to a settlement, the trial will continue on Wednesday.

Proceedings on Tuesday were closed to the media.

The directive for a closed proceeding barring the public including the media was made by Abu Suffian following case management in March.

Abu Suffian said he is following the footsteps of the previous judge in this case in keeping the proceedings closed from media scrutiny, even without any request from the parties.

Prior to this, the previous judge had directed for the proceedings to be done behind closed doors due to the possibility of a settlement.

The previous judge in the case was Abdul Shukor Abd Hamid who was transferred and was replaced by Abu Suffian.

The likelihood of a settlement seems high now more so than before as the families have committed to serious discussions on Wednesday.

In the past, parties, including Jamaludin’s mother Aminah Abdullah had failed to reach a conclusion, resulting in the matter going on trial.

Aminah is disputing her daughter-in-law’s joint matrimonial asset claim, claiming that as the surviving mother of the late ex-minister, she is entitled to her own share under the faraid Islamic distribution system.

Faraid is a concept in Islamic law to determine the distribution of property to the heirs of a deceased.

Under this law of inheritance, the surviving mother is entitled to one-sixth of the estate, while Kalsom is entitled to one-eighth.

Jamaludin passed away in a helicopter crash near Semenyih with five others in April 2015. He was the Umno Member of Parliament for Rompin at that time.

He served as the minister of science, technology and innovation from 2004 to 2008, and was also the Malaysian ambassador to the US from 2009 to 2012.

The Edge previously reported that the late Jamaludin was said to have several bank accounts locally and abroad, along with several properties, including houses in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the US.

Two of Jamaludin’s children, Ikhwan Hafiz and Nur Anis, were given letters of administration by the Civil High Court in 2017 to manage the estate.