Former prime minister Najib Razak can attend two civil appeal hearings in person after the Court of Appeal approved his application.
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today granted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s application to be present at the hearings of two separate civil appeals.
A three-member bench comprising Justices Datuk Wong Kian Kheong, Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril and Datuk Nadzarin Wok Nordin issued the order.
Najib’s counsel, Wan Mohammad Arfan Wan Othman, moved an ex parte application for an order to produce to secure his client’s attendance. The first appeal arises from a defamation suit filed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad against Najib.
Dzulkefly is challenging the High Court’s dismissal of his application to recuse Judicial Commissioner Arziah Mohamed Apandi from hearing the case. The second appeal was brought by Najib following the High Court’s dismissal of his application for leave to commence contempt proceedings against former Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.
The appeal in Dzulkefly’s suit is scheduled to be heard on Feb 24, while Najib’s appeal is fixed for March 13. Dzulkefly filed the defamation suit in his personal capacity in 2022, alleging Najib published a defamatory Facebook post in August 2020.
In a separate matter, Najib applied for leave to initiate contempt proceedings against Ahmad Terrirudin, now a Federal Court judge, over an alleged addendum said to have permitted him to serve his prison sentence under house arrest.
The High Court dismissed that application in September last year. During today’s proceedings, Wan Arfan raised no objection to Justices Wong and Mohd Firuz sitting on the panel after both made disclosures.
Justice Wong disclosed he had previously sat on a panel that heard Najib’s appeal against former AG Tommy Thomas. He also noted his wife had served as Law Revision Commissioner when Ahmad Terrirudin was the AG.
Justice Mohd Firuz disclosed he was among the judges in the majority decision of the Court of Appeal in January last year concerning Najib’s appeal related to the alleged addendum. Najib, 72, is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in the SRC International case.
In February 2024, the Pardons Board halved his original 12-year jail term and reduced his RM210 million fine to RM50 million. He was also convicted by the High Court on charges of abuse of power and money laundering linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
The former Pekan member of parliament has since appealed that 15-year prison sentence.
