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LIVE BLOG | The hearing of the criminal trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is scheduled to begin today.
He is accused of criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1MDB subsidiary.
Attorney-general Tommy Thomas will be leading the team of 12 prosecutors while Najib's defence team consist of 11 members, led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports below.
Lokman: It's selective prosecution
2.05pm - Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam tells reporters that Najib Abdul Razak is a victim of selective prosecution.
He claims Pakatan Harapan could not pin anything concrete on Najib after 11 months in power.
"I believe this is selective prosecution because the main witness in this case is Nik Faisal (Ariff Kamil Nik Othman Arif Kamil) is in charge of the trust fund under Najib's name.
"He (Nik Faisal) knew that the money should be banked into this account since Najib was one of the guarantors for SRC International to obtain funding," he says.
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He claims that authorities should question Nik Faisal first but haven't done so.
"They are charging Najib first and investigating later. This is happening now," he says.
He also claims that even if there was a case, it should be for cheating under the Penal Code and not the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which is being applied now.
Najib enters dock
2pm - Najib Abdul Razak enters the dock while the lead prosecutor Tommy Thomas and lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah take their seats.
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Najib's youngest son Norashman is in the public gallery. Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor is not present.
New member of Najib's defence team
1.45pm - There's a surprise new member in Najib Abdul Razak's defence team.
According to a press handout, former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden will join 10 others on the defence team led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Meanwhile, the list of prosecutors are as follows: Tommy Thomas, Sulaiman Abdullah, V Sithambaram, Manoj Kurup, Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Donald Joseph Franklin, Suhaimi Ibrahim, Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, Mohd Ashraf Adrin Kamaril and Muhammad Izzat Fauzan.
Najib's supporters: 'We are part of him'
1.25pm - So far, there are about 20 supporters of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak gathered at the lobby of the Duta Court Complex.
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One man, who calls himself "Baha Taha", tells reporters that Najib "is the only right man to rule the country" and pledges to support the him "forever".
When reporters ask him how long he has been waiting outside the court complex, Baha Taha replies he will be there "permanently".
He expects "thousands" of supporters to turn up later.
"We are not supporters of Najib. We are part of him!"
-Mkini
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