SHAH ALAM, Nov 26 — The Syariah High Court has issued an arrest warrant for the founder of the eHati marital motivation programme and her counsellor, after they failed to appear in court to face charges under the Selangor Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995.
Syarie Judge Zainal Abidin Kusmin issued the order against founder Nur Diyanah Md Tahir and counsellor Zatul Asmah Mat Isa, after granting an application submitted by Syarie prosecutor Husaini Roslin.
The court instructed the authorities to conduct an immigration check on Diyanah, whose address is in Damansara.
It also authorised the Islamic Religious Department to detain the counsellor, an officer of a local authority residing in Nibong Tebal, Penang. The judge subsequently set March 5 of next year for the next case mention.
Earlier during the proceedings, a friend of the eHati founder, who had stood as her guarantor, was called to explain the woman's absence from court.
The guarantor said she agreed out of compassion, as the accused's own family did not come forward to help.
"I have been friends with her since 2021, but I have never been to her home," said the woman, who is a doctor.
On November 14, it was reported that eHati's founder and another individual, both facing prosecution, were believed to have fled abroad.
Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the woman and her husband were believed to have left the country on October 13, one day before charges were brought against them.
He confirmed that arrest warrants were issued after Diyanah and her counsellor failed to appear in court to face their charges.
