Bar secures leave to challenge Zahid’s discharge from corruption case

 Court of Appeal says the Bar’s case crosses the legal threshold required for the merits of its case to be heard by the High Court.

The Malaysian Bar wants to bring judicial review proceedings to challenge the attorney-general’s decision to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on corruption charges. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA:

 The Court of Appeal has granted the Malaysian Bar leave to challenge the Attorney-General’s decision to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s Yayasan Akalbudi corruption case.

Justice Faizah Jamaludin said the statutory body that represents more than 25,000 lawyers had crossed the threshold required for the merits of its case to be heard in the High Court.

“The appellant (Bar) has an arguable case, which is not frivolous,” she said when delivering the unanimous ruling of a three-member panel that allowed the Bar’s appeal.

Also on the panel hearing the appeal were Justices Lim Hock Leng and Nadzrin Wok Nordin.

Faizah said the decision of the AG, who is also the public prosecutor to obtain the DNAA, is amenable to judicial review in “appropriate, rare and exceptional” cases. - FMT

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