An Islamic Shariah High Court judge in Malaysia's eastern Terengganu state ruled that Kamariah Ali is still a Muslim.

"The court is not convinced that the accused has repented and is willing to abandon any teachings contrary to Islam," local media reports quoted Judge Muhammad Abdullah as saying.

Last month, Kamariah, 57, a graduate of Cairo's Al Azhar University, was convicted of declaring herself an apostate after she and 58 others were arrested in July 2005 for following the teachings of the banned Sky Kingdom, a local sect claiming to promote inter-faith harmony.

Kamariah's lawyer, Sa'adiah Din, said her client has asked the court to consider a lighter sentence.

Kamariah was convicted of apostasy in a separate case in 1992 and had served a jail term.