The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing date of February 5th next year to hear Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appeal to reinstate his RM1.9mil lawsuit against former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas for alleged misfeasance in public office, as confirmed by Najib’s lawyer, Daniel Annamalai. It will be a physical hearing. The initial hearing, which was supposed to take place on October 4th, did not proceed after Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi, who chaired the three-member panel, recused herself due to her husband’s direct association with Thomas during his tenure as the AG.
In November last year, the High Court allowed Thomas’s application to strike out Najib’s suit without going to full trial. Najib’s lawsuit accused Thomas of wrongly accusing him in court regarding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case, International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001). Najib claimed that these charges were part of a premeditated plan by Thomas and were in alignment with the previous Pakatan Harapan government’s agenda.
Thomas served as the attorney-general from June 4, 2018, to February 28, 2020. In his lawsuit, Najib sought RM1.9mil in damages and a declaration that Thomas committed misfeasance in public office. He also sought consultation fees for the audit team to review documentation for the preparation of facts related to his prosecution. Additionally, Najib claimed general, exemplary, and aggravated damages, as well as interest, costs, and any other appropriate relief determined by the court. – Bernama
Credit: The Star : News Feed
