KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid confirmed that she is a Muafakat Nasional (MN) member.
Nik Elin was responding to claims circulating on social media regarding this matter.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the person who initiated the constitutional challenge is from Kelantan, who happens to be a member of Muafakat Nasional.
"The MN president himself invited me to join.
"Upon reviewing their website, it emphasises unity, love, and the pursuit of freedom and justice, which I believe is beneficial for Malaysia," she said during an exclusive interview on the New Straits Times' Beyond the Headlines podcast.
Nik Elin said she applied for membership online, and her application was promptly approved.
When asked about her affiliation with any political parties, Nik Elin also said she is a member of Umno, and stood under the Parti Melayu Semangat 46 (S46) faction.
"I am not a politician, but I am affiliated with whichever political parties that seem okay."
However, she said that the challenge of the 18 syariah rulings that were brought to the court by her and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Tengku Abdul Rahman was not associated with any political interest.
"We are not backed or supported by anyone. It's just the two of us and our lawyers."
Yesterday, the Federal Court ruled that 16 provisions in Kelantan Syariah Law are unconstitutional.
Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who led a nine-member panel of judges, made the landmark decision to rule out 16 of the 18 provisions challenged.
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The only two provisions that remain status quo (constitutional) in the list are selling or giving away a child to non-Muslims or morally reprehensible Muslims (Section 13) and words capable of breaking peace (Section 30).
More of this interview will be out on the full episode of Beyond the Headlines tomorrow (Feb 11), at 9am. Catch it on NST's YouTube channel, NST Online.