Syed Kechik's kin at loggerheads

WEALTH PRESERVATION

KUALA LUMPUR: The children of the late Tan Sri Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed Al-Bukhary failed to reach an out-of-court settlement over the administration of his RM400 million estate.
The dispute will now be heard by the High Court on July 7.

Lawyers for Syed Gamal and his sisters, Puan Seri Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira, reported the failure of the siblings to come to an agreement to High Court Judicial Commissioner Anantham Kasinather in chambers today.

Atan Mustaffa Yussof, counsel for Syed Gamal, said the court then set July 7 to hear Syed Gamal's application to strike out his sisters' originating summons against him.

Syed Gamal is Syed Kechik's only son from his first wife, Zainab @ Eshah Abdullah, while Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira are his daughters with another wife, Puan Seri Sofiah Moo Abdullah.

Syed Kecik divorced Zainab when Syed Gamal was five.

The family saga started after Syed Kechik died in April last year, aged 81, without leaving a will.

He was the father-in-law of Al-Bukhary Foundation chairman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, the richest Malay tycoon and a billionaire, and listed as the eighth richest person in the country.

On Nov 9 last year, Syed Kechik Holdings Sdn Bhd, Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira sought a declaration that Syed Gamal, as a beneficiary of Syed Kechik's estate, had no rights or interests in the company's assets until the completion of the administration and distribution of the estate.

The sisters are seeking an order to prevent Syed Gamal or his agents from accessing and interfering with the assets, records, accounts and affairs of the company.

They also want an order to prevent Syed Gamal from interfering in the execution of their duties and powers as the directors of the company and all other corporate matters, including transfer and disposal of the company's shares.

On Jan 15, Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira, obtained an interim injunction to prevent Syed Gamal from interfering in the company's affairs pending the disposal of the originating summons at the Civil High Court.

Syed Gamal obtained an ex-parte injunction from the Syariah Court on Sept 14 last eyar to stop his 44 per cent stake in the company from being sold or liquidated.

On Nov 11, 2009, the Syariah Appeal Court affirmed the decision after dismissing Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira's appeal.

The sisters, who have hired lawyer Datuk N.Vijay Kumar, then brought the case to the Civil High Court by way of originating summons. -- BERNAMA