PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has fixed August 11, to hear Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s appeal to get leave to commence a legal challenge over the Prisons Department’s refusal to allow his request to attend Parliament sittings.
The hearing date was confirmed by Federal Counsel Ng Wee Li, when contacted by Bernama. The appeal is also fixed on July 28, for another case management.
A case management for the appeal was conducted today before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Norshakinah Ahmad Kamarudin. On Oct 27, last year, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur dismissed the former Prime Minister’s application to obtain leave to commence a judicial review to challenge the Prisons Department’s refusal to allow his request to attend Parliament sittings.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid held that Najib’s application was academic as he ceased to be a member of Parliament following the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10, last year, which had paved the way for the 15th General Election which was subsequently held on Nov 19, last year.
The High Court judge also said that unless and until pardon is given or Najib’s conviction is quashed upon review, there is no possibility that he will again be a Member of Parliament, adding that the law prohibits any convicted person to contest for election.
Najib had named the Malaysian Government, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner General of Prisons in his application seeking leave to initiate a judicial review which he filed on Oct 5, last year.
He is seeking for a certiorari order to quash the decision of the Commissioner General of Prisons to not allow him access to his officers/aides for the purposes of parliamentary, legislative and constituency work.
Najib is currently serving 12 years jail sentence in Kajang Prison after the Federal Court had on Aug 23, upheld the conviction and 12 years jail term and a fine of RM210 million against him after finding him guilty of misappropriating SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million.
The hearing of his application to review the Federal Court’s decision is currently ongoing.
— BERNAMA
