Najib could be a witness in PAS suit against Clare, says Hanipa

Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak could be a potential witness in the defamation suit by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang against Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown on the RM90 million issue.

Hanipa who was formerly a PAS lawyer, and is now with Parti Amanah Negara, said Najib can be called, either by PAS or even by Rewcastle-Brown, as a witness to testify in the trial.

“Yes, I would say Najib is a potential witness in the suit, and he may eventually be required to go there to testify,” he told reporters on the sidelines after the party's assistant secretary, Abang Ahmad Kerdee Abang Masagus, filed a judicial review application against Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif.

Asked whether Najib could testify by submitting an affidavit, Hanifa said he (Najib) would have to be cross-examined and his presence would, therefore, be a must during proceedings.

Hanipa (photo) said he had witnessed in the United Kingdom how the Queen's Counsel could question a witness for days on cross-examination, adding that the trial over there is held by the jury.

Hence, he added, he could not understand why PAS MPs, like its secretary-general and Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan, were harping on Ambiga Sreenevasan to reveal the source of her information.

Stating that Ambiga is a potential witness, Hanipa said that she is not required to respond for now.

“She can testify in court and there's no need to explain here,” he said.

Takiyuddin, along with party vice-president Idris Ahmad, have pressured Ambiga to reveal her source.

Rewcastle-Brown is embroiled in a defamation suit filed in the UK by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, for alleging that the party received funds worth RM90 million from Najib.

In a statement of defence, she named Ambiga as the source of the information that PAS received the funds.

The statement also claimed that Hadi’s lawsuit is a means to protect Najib over the allegation.- Mkini