YOURSAY | After four long years, justice is at hand

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Apex court may rule even without submissions in Najib’s case, say lawyers

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — There is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s final appeal over the SRC International Sdn Bhd case following his lawyer’s refusal to make any submissions to defend the former prime minister.

On Friday (Aug 19), Najib’s lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik informed a five-member bench of the Federal Court led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat that he would also not even present oral submissions for his client.

Justice Tengku Maimun, however, said the court will deal with the matter on Tuesday (Aug 23). The court had set Aug 15 to 19 and Aug 23 to 26 to hear the appeal.

In regards to this, the legal fraternity is of the opinion that the apex court could immediately make a ruling even if there were no submissions from Najib’s counsel.

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YOURSAY | Najib's 'Hail Mary' to delay trial 'despicable'

Kilimanjaro: The further former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and his lawyers take their "insolence" down this lane, the more brickbats they are going to receive.

The argument is sound enough - if lawyers taking over a case are not ready, they should decline to accept the case.

I salute the courage of Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and the justices who had stood firm and resolute in not allowing the court to be a ground for theatrics. How more sickening can it get by going after the spouse of the chief justice?

The prosecution had explained very succinctly the absence of "nexus" on the defence's claim on conflict of interest. The voluminous evidence the prosecution had adduced cannot be simply "erased" with the conflict-of-interest argument.

It is the court and the court alone that can decide on the case. We are bystanders and accept the court's decision.

For years, this country has been plagued by a judiciary that couldn't shed off the perceptive accusations of executive interference. That eroded confidence has now been revived and this is good for the country.

The Realist: It is sad that top lawyers allow themselves to be made a theatrical farce in the highest court of the land.

The chief justice and her team have deliberated and rightfully come to a conclusion that Najib's theatrics must come to a stop.

That is called the rule of law, which the court cluster is oblivious to and thinks that they are entitled to claim privileges because they are the so-called 'elites'.

We are blessed to have a chief justice who executes the law without 'fear or favour' in the interest of our nation supported by a like-minded team of four other justices of the Federal Court.

It is obvious that the court cluster is trying to buy time to change the government and manipulate judicial appointments to get them a 'get out of jail free' card.

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Najib takes Islamic oath to swear innocence in SRC case

KUALA LUMPUR: Surrounded by supporters before the final week of his SRC International final appeal, Najib Razak has taken another Islamic oath swearing his innocence.

The former prime minister denied any involvement in the transfer of SRC International funds and added that he had no clue that RM42 million that entered into his bank accounts was from the company.

“Secondly, I never intended to start the company to collect any personal funds for myself or my family,” he said in a speech at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru.

Najib also said he had never instructed any director or officer from SRC international to transfer any funds to him.

He added that he was not involved in a Cabinet meeting, instructing a senior official from Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) to “expedite” a RM2 billion loan from the company.

“I am standing here to clear my name and my family’s name. If I lie on this oath, Allah, may you punish me. If I am found innocent, if all of this is slander planned by my political enemies, I ask you to punish them,” he added.

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Umno chiefs call for PM’s intervention in Najib’s final SRC appeal

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno division chiefs, who gathered for an emergency meeting this morning, had supposedly demanded the prime minister’s intervention in deferring Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s ongoing final appeal on his SRC International conviction.

The Vibes has been informed that this was among a couple of key requests made by the Umno leaders during the closed door meeting chaired by president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the party headquarters here.

For the record, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is Umno vice-president, was not present at today’s pow-wow.

A source familiar with the matter said the leaders implored Ismail Sabri to use his power to seek a three-month extension from chief justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat for Najib to engage new legal representatives.

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Pressure to interfere in Najib’s case test of Ismail Sabri’s mettle: analysts

KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is caught in a bind on whether to relent to internal pressure for him to meddle in the court process involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. 

Accede to the demands, and he would tarnish the country’s image and his own, and make a mockery of the judicial system. Refuse them, and he risks party action that could potentially put a serious dent in his political career.

Observers say the current quandary would serve as a true test of Ismail Sabri’s resolve, as pressure continues to mount on him from within his own party, where he is a vice-president.

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Najib now seeks to recuse CJ in SRC International

PUTRAJAYA: Najib Razakseeksto recuse Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from the Federal Court panel hearing his appeal.

Lead counsel Hisyam Teh told the court that the defence filed the application on Monday night.

He added a copy of the application has been served to the prosecution.

The former prime minister is appealing from his conviction on all seven charges brought against him for abuse of power, misappropriation and money laundering involving RM42 million of funds belonging to SRC International.

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Najib’s lawyer seeks to recuse chief justice from hearing final appeal

PUTRAJAYA – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s defence lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik is seeking to recuse chief justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from hearing the former prime minister’s final appeal against his SRC International Sdn Bhd conviction.

At the start of the proceedings in the Federal Court today, Hisyam said the application was filed late last night.

He stressed that the application was not made to delay the proceedings but was based on new information that was gained in the past few days.

Hisyam said the application, which was also served to the prosecution this morning, is based on Najib’s affidavit for the recusal, in which he cited a Facebook post allegedly by Tengku Maimum’s husband, Datuk Zamani Ibrahim.

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Federal Court rejects bid to recuse CJ from Najib’s SRC International appeal

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court says there is no need for Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat to recuse herself from presiding over Najib Razak’s final SRC International appeal hearing.

The five-member bench led by Tengku Maimun said the defence failed to provide reasonable grounds to recuse her from the bench.

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Guilty as charged: Federal Court upholds Najib’s SRC conviction

PUTRAJAYA – The Federal Court has upheld the court decision that former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is guilty of all seven charges in the SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption case and will have to serve his 12-year sentence.

The Federal Court also upheld the RM210 million fine imposed by the high court on Najib.

A five-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the findings of the high court are correct and the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt.

Tengku Maimun said Najib would have to serve his sentence immediately.

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Opposition hails court decision on Najib as victory for Malaysians

PETALING JAYA: Opposition MPs have hailed the Federal Court’s decision to affirm former prime minister Najib Razak’s conviction and sentence in the SRC International case, calling it a victory for Malaysians.

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said this was especially so for those who voted for change in 2018.

It was also a win for the democratic system of the country, he said.

“The decision serves as a warning to political leaders who had been given the mandate to never abuse their power to enrich themselves,” the Seremban MP said in a Facebook post.

Loke said the fact that a powerful individual could be toppled by the “rakyat” and brought to justice was a “new beginning for Malaysia”.

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