Court Refuses Request from Attorney General for Silencing Order in Najib's Legal Appeal Case
In a recent court ruling, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur has dismissed Datuk Seri Najib Razak's bid to amend his judicial review application and obtain a gag order.
The judge, Justice Alice Loke Yee Ching, ruled that the amendments to the application clearly go beyond merely updating facts and include developments that have taken place since the filing of the judicial review application. This decision comes after the court initially dismissed Najib's application for leave to commence judicial review proceedings last year.
Najib's application seeks a mandamus order to confirm and disclose the existence of a purported document dated January 29, 2024. He is also seeking to include a supporting affidavit from his son, Datuk Mohd Nizar, which exhibits a letter dated January 4, 2025. This letter, signed by the Pengelola Bijaya Di-Raja from the Office of the Sultan of Pahang, purports to confirm the authenticity of a copy of the Addendum Order.
However, the court did not find the supporting affidavits admissible as evidence in the previous ruling, and this decision still stands. The judge also stated that there are existing defamation and contempt laws to address the concern of the gag order.
Najib's legal team argued that the allegations sought to be drawn from these facts are matters that have been superseded by the grant of leave for judicial review. However, the judge stated that these issues are no longer relevant due to the court's previous decisions.
Najib has been serving his six-year prison sentence at Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, following his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd. He has previously petitioned for a royal pardon, which resulted in his prison sentence being halved and his fine reduced.
Despite the setback, Najib is not giving up. He is seeking an order to be transferred from Kajang Prison to his residence in Kuala Lumpur if the additional document is proven to exist. This transfer request is part of his ongoing efforts to challenge his conviction and sentence.
The court's decision to dismiss Najib's application for leave to commence judicial review proceedings and the gag order has once again brought the former prime minister's legal battles into the spotlight. The addendum judicial review has already been the subject of extensive public discussion, and it remains to be seen how this latest development will unfold.
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