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A controversial independent preacher will be jailed for 10 days after failing to pay his second former wife RM120,000 in marriage debt owed over the past three years
According to Harian Metro, Syariah judge Mohd Faizal Habib rejected Ustaz Faridul Firdaus Zaulkapli's defence that chronic financial hardship had caused him to default on the debt.
The judge said Faridul's claims of financial difficulties amounted to mere denial, as documents showed he had the means to comply with the court's payment order, as evidenced by his company's financial statements.
"Although he relies on income from lectures and his preaching credentials have been revoked, the judgment debtor made an admission that he continued to lecture in public places even after the revocation.
"The judgment debtor, who supports three wives, also failed to prove the schooling expenses for his 10 children, as the court found that the children were being homeschooled and taught by his wives.
"However, the court acknowledged the judgment debtor's efforts in paying the house rent for his parents, despite owning his own home in Taman Dato Harun. Nevertheless, that is merely an act of kindness, whereas paying a debt is a legal obligation for a debtor," the judge said.
The 10-day jail sentence was meted out in accordance with Section 179 of the Selangor Syariah Court Civil Procedure Enactment 2003.
Faridul Firdaus Zaulkapli (first from the right).
Image via Harian MetroPreviously, Faridul was ordered by the court to pay the debt in three instalments of RM40,000 from October to December 2023, but he failed to do so
The enforcement action came after a consent judgment and a judgment debtor summons were issued following repeated failures to comply with the orders.
The plaintiff's lawyer said the court imposed the jail term after the defendant defaulted on court directives twice, stressing that Faridul would still be obligated to settle the debt even after serving the sentence.
Meanwhile, in July last year, the 40-year-old preacher was fined RM2,800 by the Shah Alam Syariah Lower Court for conducting Islamic teachings without proper authorisation, reported Bernama.
