Shoe-throwing imam converts two inmates in jail

The imam who was jailed a year on a contempt charge for throwing his shoes at a three-member Federal Court panel is said to have converted two of his fellow inmates to Islam.

PAS mouthpiece Harakah Daily today quoted the imam's wife, Noorliza Mohd Isa, as saying that Hoslan Hussein (left) has converted two of his fellow inmates at the Kajang prison since his incarceration on March 8.

Yesterday PAS Muslimat chief and Rantau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof, handed over the party's RM800 monthly support contribution over to the family.

"My husband leads the inmates in prayers, holds religious classes and has successfully converted two inmates to Islam," said Noorliza.

Hoslan was jailed a year by a three-member panel led by Chief Judge of Malaya, Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, for flinging his pair of shoes at them after his appeal to overturn an eviction notice from the Ar Rahimah mosque quarters failed.

His lawyer Karpal Singh last Friday filed for a review of the sentence.

Last Saturday, Hoslan's supporters marched to the Istana Negara to seek the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's intervention to grant a royal pardon.

Meanwhile, Hoslan’s name also made it into Parliament today, as concern over his shoe-throwing antics was raised to ask for increased security for courthouses across the country

Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) (right) did so while intervening when Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz was winding-up during the debate on the royal address.

Gobind said courthouses in other countries have better security precautions, such as metal detectors and stringent checks on belongings carried inside.

Nazri agreed with him and said that he would talk to those in charge to take better security precautions in courthouses before something unfortunate takes place.

Gobind also raised the matter of expensive fees for transcription services for court trials and the excessive wait for written judgments, which caused long delays in some appeals and cases.

The minister also agreed with both these points, and said he would talk to the Chief Justice and chief registrar on these matters.