The High Court judge presiding over Umno president Najib Abdul Razak's defamation suit against Malaysiakini has been transferred back to Kuala Lumpur from Seremban.

Justice Kamaludin Md Said had been serving at the Seremban High Court since January 2016. His transfer to the Kuala Lumpur High Court was effective May 2.

He will be one of the Appellate and Special Powers division judges, besides hearing civil cases.

Najib and Umno organising secretary Abdul Rauf Yusoh had sued Malaysiakini for defamation over the publication of several readers' comments.

Malaysiakini was unsuccessful in its attempt to recuse the judge from hearing the case.

Justice Kamaludin was a judicial commissioner in Kuala Lumpur when the suit was filed in 2014.

Following this, Malaysiakini attempted to have the case heard before a confirmed High Court judge. During this process, Justice Kamaludin was promoted to a full judge from judicial commissioner.

Several transfers

Attempts to recuse Justice Kamaludin were initiated after he was transferred to Seremban. However, then Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin ruled against this and it was decided the hearing should proceed in Seremban.

The case was originally scheduled for April 26 in Seremban, following Najib's application to strike out Malaysiakini's defence. However, the matter had been postponed indefinitely following Justice Kamaludin's transfer.

Aside from Justice Kamaludin, Justice Abu Bakar Jais, who dismissed the RM2.642 billion suit by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and two others against Najib, was also transferred.

Other known judges who had been moved from the Kuala Lumpur High Court includes Justice Hanipah Farikullah and Judicial Commissioner Roslan A Bakar.

Some of the judges from nearby Shah Alam High Court who have been transferred to Kuala Lumpur this month include Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.