KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 5): The High Court today denied Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s request to be excused from attending the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial hearing tomorrow to visit his constituents in Pekan, Pahang who have been affected by the floods.
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His counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that he had earlier asked his client if he had visited his constituency last week, but Najib said there were no floods then.
“But the situation in the last two days, as can be seen in the media, is much worse and he would like to be there to meet his constituents. Otherwise, there will be word and questions of his non-presence,” said the senior lawyer.
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Justice Sequerah, however, did not allow the application and directed the trial to continue tomorrow as planned.
Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power for using his position as the then prime minister, finance minister and 1MDB board of advisers chairman to receive gratification worth RM2.28 billion in the present 1MDB-Tanore trial.
On top of that, he also faces 21 counts of money laundering involving over RM4.3 billion.- The Edge Market