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KUALA LUMPUR, 30 JULY, 2010: The High Court here today ruled that the RM400 million estate of the late Tan Sri Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed Al-Bukhary should be jointly administered by his second wife and his three children.
Judicial Commissioner Lee Swee Seng said he hoped the decision would enable Puan Sri Sofiah Moo Abdullah (Syed Kechik's second wife), her daughters Puan Sri Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira, as well as Syed Gamal (his son with his former first wife) to cooperate with one another, but if there was still no consensus, they could come back to court.
Lee did not fix any legal cost as he felt it was a family problem.
Lee's decision made at 8.15pm was filled with advice that left everyone in court listening in complete silence.
He said in whatever situation, the parties involved should think of what the late Syed Kechik would like to see if he was still alive, that he would not like to see the family torn apart, and had worked hard to give his children a comfortable life.
Lee said the wealth acquired by Syed Kechik throughout his life was not only enough for his children but his grandchildren too.
In his judgment, Lee also advised that the excess from the estate be donated to charity, while Syed Gamal and his family members from Syed Kechik's second wife could begin the peace process by forgetting about the dispute.
In his caveat application filed on April 14, Syed Gamal, who is Syed Kechik's only son with Zainab@Eshah Abdullah, said that as the heir and legitimate son, he was a joint administrator of his father's estate.
The battle over Syed Kechik's estate began after his death on April 10 last year at the age of 80 from a heart attack.
Syed Kechik was the father-in-law of Al-Bukhary Foundation chairman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, a billionaire listed as of the richest people in the country.
Syed Gamal, 46, filed the caveat after his step-mother and step-sisters petitioned for a letter of administration on Syed Kechik's estate.
In the petition filed on Sept 15 last year, they said that since Syed Kechik did not leave a will, they needed a letter of administration as his legal wife and children.
Syed Gamal were represented by lawyers Pawancheek Marican, Zulkifli Che Yong and Azmi Mohd Rais while Datuk N. Vijaykumar represented Sofiah, Sharifah Zarah and Sharifah Munira.
After the proceeding, Syed Gamal told reporters that he was grateful for the court's decision and appreciated the judicial commissioner's advice on restoring the family relationship.
- Bernama
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