Najib wants court to stay suits by sacked Wanita Umno leader

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has applied to strike out a suit by former Langkawi Wanita Umno leader Anina Saaduddin over the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal bank accounts. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 23, 2015. 

Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants all proceedings against him over the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal bank accounts to be stayed until the High Court has ruled on his application to strike out a suit brought against him by a sacked Umno member.

Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is representing former Langkawi Wanita Umno leader Anina Saaduddin, said Najib did not want the court to hear first Anina's application to freeze his assets and obtain a judgment on admission.

Haniff added that Najib also said he need not file his defence by October 1 as ordered by High Court deputy registrar Norfauziah Mohd Nordin on Monday.

"This is what the defendant is asking for based on the copy of application that has been served to my legal firm today," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Haniff said in the application filed yesterday at the High Court registry, the Umno president had also applied to strike out Anina's suit filed on August 28.

The lawyer said Najib's applications have been fixed for case management on October 6 before judge Datuk Zaki Wahab.

On Monday, Norfauziah ordered Najib to file his defence and Anina was given until October 15 to file a reply to Najib's defence if she wished to.

Norfuziah also ordered Najib to file affidavits by October 6, in reply to Anina's application to freeze his assets and to obtain the judgment on admission pending the outcome of the main suit for alleged breach of trust.

She also gave Najib the liberty to file any other application but it must be done before the next case management on October 21 before Zaki.

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

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

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 been under pressure, including from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 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 investigating the cases.

- TMI