Kota Setar Syariah Court: Alor Setar

Which court hears your case in Kota Setar?

The Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Kota Setar sits at Tingkat 1, Bangunan Mahkamah Syariah, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Bandar Muadzam Shah, 06550 Alor Setar.^[2] Your case falls under the Enakmen Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Kedah Darul Aman) 2008, the enactment covering the whole state.^[1]

Kota Setar is Kedah’s capital district, and this same complex also houses the Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kedah on a different floor. If you live in Alor Setar or the surrounding Kota Setar area, this registry is your court.

What makes Kota Setar different?

This registry also serves the neighbouring Pokok Sena district, which has no separate courthouse of its own. Kota Setar is additionally home to Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Kedah (MAIK) and Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Negeri Kedah (JHEAIK), the bodies that set policy and run daily religious administration for the state.

If your safety is at risk, call Talian Kasih at 15999 before you deal with the court.

Which route applies, and where to go next in Kota Setar?

A wife whose husband has stopped maintaining her can apply for fasakh, and a couple divorcing by agreement can use cerai talaq at the same registry. A Sulh session is held before a contested case is heard.

For Kedah’s other courts, see the Kedah Syariah divorce guide.

What should you prepare, and what does it cost in Alor Setar?

Bring your identification, marriage certificate and evidence for your ground, such as bank statements for a maintenance claim or records showing a broken agreement for cerai talaq. Because this registry sits alongside Kedah’s state headquarters and also serves Pokok Sena, its calendar can run busier than a smaller district court, so confirm your Sulh and hearing dates early. Cost and duration depend on your own case, not on it being the capital district. A Peguam Syarie can help you understand what your specific case will need.

Common questions

Is the Kota Setar court the same building as Kedah’s Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah?

It is in the same federal administrative complex in Alor Setar, though on a different floor. The Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kedah sits at Aras 2, while the Kota Setar/Pokok Sena Mahkamah Rendah is at Tingkat 1 of the same building.

I live in Anak Bukit, is my case filed at this Kota Setar registry?

Yes, Anak Bukit and the rest of the Kota Setar district fall under this court, since the complex itself sits in the Anak Bukit administrative area of Alor Setar.

Does being the state capital mean Kota Setar cases move faster?

Not necessarily. Kota Setar handles a large share of Kedah’s caseload precisely because it is the capital district, so a busier court does not always mean a quicker one.