KUALA LUMPUR – Disgraced former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s review application on his SRC International conviction should be broadcasted live.
This is so that the people know what goes on in the courtroom, said Najib’s daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib.
“Seeing that the judicial review of the SRC case that will start on January 19 is very important for my father, and he could be freed if his application is successful.
“In my opinion, (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim’s government should be more open and transparent by allowing the hearing to be streamed live.”
The prosecution and defence have to file their respective submissions by January 4.
Najib, 69, is serving 12 years in Kajang Prison after he lost his final appeal in the Federal Court to set aside his conviction, sentence, and a fine of RM210 million on August 23, this year.
Najib, through Messrs Shafee & Co, filed his application on September 6, seeking to review the Federal Court’s verdict in affirming his conviction, sentence, and fine.
In his review application, he wanted the court to review the apex court’s decision made on August 16 in dismissing his bid to adduce further evidence relating to Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, the trial judge in his SRC International case.
On July 28, 2020, Nazlan found him guilty on seven charges – three counts of criminal breach of trust, three money-laundering charges, and one abuse of power charge.
Nazlan, then a high court judge, had sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million in default of five years’ imprisonment, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal on December 8, last year.
Najib wants his appeal to be reheard by a new Federal Court panel consisting of at least seven judges and seeks a stay of execution of his jail sentence pending the hearing of his review application.
The prosecution filed an affidavit in response, through deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul, stating that Najib’s review application had no merit and was an abuse of the court process.
In the affidavit, Ashrof said the former prime minister was given a fair trial and there was no pre-judgment on his appeal at the Federal Court. – The Vibes, December 9, 2022