Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) Act 1997 s 98
s 98 Evidence as to matters in writing
Any witness may be asked whilst under examination whether any contract, grant or other disposition of property as to which he is giving evidence was not contained in a document, and if he says that it was, or if he is about to make any statement as to the contents of any document which in the opinion of the Court ought to be produced, the adverse party may object to the evidence being
given until the document is produced or until facts have been proved which entitle the party who called the witness to give secondary evidence of it. Explanation—A witness may give oral evidence of statements made by other persons about the contents of documents if the statements are in themselves relevant facts.
ILLUSTRATION
The question is whether A assaulted B. C deposes that he heard A say to D: “B wrote a letter accusing me of theft and I will be revenged on him.”. The statement is relevant as showing A’s motive for the assault and evidence may be given of it though no other evidence is given about the letter.
Malay text (authoritative)
Keterangan tentang perkara bertulis
Mana-mana saksi boleh ditanya semasa dalam pemeriksaan sama ada apa-apa kontrak, pemberian atau pelupusan lain akan harta yang tentangnya dia memberikan keterangan tidak terkandung dalam sesuatu dokumen, dan jika dia mengatakan ada, atau jika dia hampir-hampir hendak membuat apa-apa pernyataan tentang kandungan apa-apa dokumen yang, pada pendapat Mahkamah, patut dikemukakan, maka pihak menentang boleh membantah terhadap pemberian keterangan itu sehingga dokumen itu dikemukakan atau sehingga terbukti fakta yang memberi hak kepada pihak yang telah memanggil saksi itu untuk memberikan keterangan sekunder mengenainya.
Huraian—Seseorang saksi boleh memberikan keterangan lisan mengenai pernyataan yang telah dibuat oleh orang lain mengenai kandungan dokumen jika pernyataan itu dengan sendirinya ialah fakta relevan.
Soalnya ialah sama ada A telah menyerang B.
C mendeposkan bahawa dia telah mendengar A berkata kepada D: “B telah menulis surat menuduh saya mencuri dan saya akan membalas dendam terhadapnya.”. Pernyataan itu adalah relevan sebagai menunjukkan motif serangan A itu dan keterangan boleh diberikan mengenai pernyataan itu walaupun tiada keterangan lain diberikan mengenai surat itu.
Read this section in the full act → · Open Chapter 3 →
Find Act 561 on lom.agc.gov.my ↗
Text as at 1 January 2006 (LOM reprint); amendments made after that date may not be incorporated.
Source: Laws of Malaysia, Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia (lom.agc.gov.my). Not a copy of the Gazette printed by the Government Printer (Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967, s 61).
