Lawyers for Premier Najib Abdul Razak and Rosmah Mansor today officially complained to Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah over reports on their clients’ applications to set aside the subpoenas.

NONE Salehuddin Saidin ( left ) said they had informed the judge of this in his chambers.

“We have received instructions not to reveal the contents of the application until it is revealed in court. Until then we cannot reveal them.

“I do not know how some of the press received and reported the contents of the applications and affidavits.”

Salehuddin told this to reporters after the court proceedings today.

He explained that they had received the fax copy of Anwar Ibrahim’s affidavit-in-reply yesterday evening and served a sealed copy today.

“Hence, we will seek further instructions from our clients whether there is a need to reply to Anwar’s affidavit,” Salehuddin said.

Earlier, another counsel representing Najib and Rosmah, Ghazi Ishak, informed the court of the media revealing content from Najib's and Rosmah's applications and affidavits.

sankara nair bukit aman teresea kok isa arrest pc 170908 01 In open court, Ghazi repeated what Salehuddin had said, that they received Anwar's affidavit via fax yesterday and the sealed court copy today.

“Hence, we need time to get further instructions from our clients whether there is a need to reply to this affidavit,” he added.

Lawyer Sankara Nair also confirmed with the press that this matter was raised in chambers before Justice Zabidin.

“The lawyers for Najib and Rosmah have indicated they may write to the FMT (Free Malaysia Today) portal for revealing details from the affidavit,” Sankara said.

He said Justice Zabidin did not make any ruling on the issue despite the protest, but the lawyers for Najib and Rosmah have indicated they may write a letter of complaint to FMT.

Anwar, 64, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara condominium on June 26, 2008.

Anwar's subpoenas different from 1998

Anwar told reporters after the proceeding that the orders to Najib and Rosmah to appear in court as witnesses were different from the situation in 1998 with then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

NONE “In this case, the prosecution offered us the witness in their list and they included Najib and Rosmah.

“Hence, it is clear they have recorded statements from the two. This is unlike in 1998 when Dr Mahathir had made a lot of statements against me, but he was not offered as a witness,” Anwar pointed out.

“Najib had also made statements and he had met Saiful two days before the alleged incident and therefore he has a case to answer to us.

“Furthermore, Najib and Rosmah had indicated during the interview session that if we issue  subpoenas, then they will come. We have issued the subpoenas as demanded, but now they apply to set them aside.”

Anwar said he would wait and see what followed, and what would happen on Monday.

The Permatang Pauh MP also agreed with suggestions put by reporters that if the applications of Najib and Rosmah were allowed, it would set a dangerous judicial precedent, in that potential witnesses in other cases too would not want to testify in court.

“Then, nobody will respect the courts anymore,” he said.

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