Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's defence in the suit by a former Umno member will not be required if the court rules tomorrow that his application to strike out the suit must be heard first. – The Malaysian Insider pic, September 30, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will know tomorrow whether he can defer filing his defence in response to a suit filed by a sacked Umno member over the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal bank accounts.
His lawyer Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said judicial commissioner Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab would deliver his ruling on the matter tomorrow afternoon.
"We need not file the defence by October 1 (tomorrow) as instructed earlier. We now wait for the judge's ruling," he told reporters.
Hafarizam and lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is representing former Langkawi Wanita Umno leader Anina Saaduddin, presented their submissions in chambers on the application of Najib to defer filing his defence.
The Umno president has taken the stand that the court should first hear his application to strike out the suit which was filed on September 21.
Hafarizam said the suit should be struck out as Anina had lost her status as an Umno member after she had filed the suit on August 28.
Hafarizam said the suit should be struck out as Anina had lost her status as an Umno member after she had filed the suit on August 28.
"She has no locus standi to bring an action on behalf on Umno members as such a move can only come from officer bearers or the public officer (like the Umno executive secretary)," he said.
Hafarizam said a lot of time and resources would have gone to waste if Najib filed the defence first but the suit was struck out later.
Anina filed the suit on behalf of Umno against Najib to account for the money alegedly donated to Najib by a friendly Middle Eastern individual to help the Barisan Nasional retain power in the 2013 general election.
She has since filed a separate suit to challenge her dismissal from the party.
On September 18, she also filed applications to freeze Najib's assets and judgment for admission.
Anina Saaduddin in court last month to file suit as a then Langkawi Wanita Umno leader against her party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider pic, September 30, 2015.
Anina Saaduddin in court last month to file suit as a then Langkawi Wanita Umno leader against her party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider pic, September 30, 2015.
Case management on the striking out application is fixed for October 6.
Anina became famous after she made a few remarks at the Langkawi division annual general meeting which were caught on video and went viral.
In the video, Anina was recorded saying Najib had "lied" to Umno members by claiming all of them supported him.
In recent months Najib has come under pressure from various people in the opposition, NGOs as well as from Umno itself. His fiercest critic is former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has asked Najib to resign as prime minister over the 1MDB fiasco and the RM2.6 billion donation.
The police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission are still said to be investigating the cases.
- TMI
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