Najib ordered to file defence over suit by sacked Umno member

Former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saaduddin (centre) is seen in court on August 28 after filing her suit against Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider pic, September 21, 2015.Datuk Seri Najib Razak today was ordered to file his defence by October 1 in response to a suit initiated by a sacked party member against the Umno president over the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal bank accounts.

Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is appearing for former Langkawi Wanita Umno leader Anina Saaduddin, said his client had been given until October 15 to file a reply to Najib's defence if she wished to.

He said High Court deputy registrar Norfauziah Mohd Nordin had also ordered Najib to file affidavits in reply to Anina's application to freeze his assets pending the outcome of the main suit for alleged breach of trust.

"This has to be done by October 6," Haniff said in a SMS text message to The Malaysian Insider.

Lawyers Aizul Rohan and Irwan Iswat today represented Anina during a case management before Norfauziah in Kuala Lumpur.

Haniff said the court had given Najib the liberty to file any other application but it must be done before the next case management on October 21.

He said judge Datuk Zaki Wahab would preside over the next case management.

Lawyers Nor Emelia Mohd Iszeham and Norhazira Abu Haiyan appeared for Najib.

On August 28, Anina filed the suit on behalf of Umno against the Umno president to account for the money donated to Najib by a friendly Middle Eastern individual to help the Barisan Nasional retain power in the 2013 general election.

She has also filed a separate suit to challenge the dismissal from the party.

On Friday, she filed applications to freeze Najib's assets and judgment for admission.

Haniff said the freezing of the assets under the Mareva injunction was made so that assets would not be removed elsewhere and also not to frustrate his client getting the remedy if she won the case.

The Mareva injunction, also known as a freezing order, is applied so that a defendant to an action cannot disperse his assets from beyond the jurisdiction of a court so as to frustrate a judgment.

Anina has also applied an order for Najib to divulge in an affidavit his movable and immovable assets in Malaysia and overseas within 10 days of a court order.

She rose into prominence at the Langkawi division annual general meeting when caught on a video that went viral.

In the video, Anina was recorded saying Najib had "lied" to Umno members by claiming all of them supported him.

Over the last few months Najib has been under pressure, including by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to resign his post as prime minister over the 1MDB fiasco and the RM2.6 billion donation.

Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission are still investigating these cases.

- TMI