Lawyers for Anwar Ibrahim today filed a discovery application for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to reveal their financial statements in relation to the alleged RM9.5 million payout.

Latheefa Koya told Malaysiakini that the document was filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

This, she said, was a follow-up to Anwar's application filed last week against the government.

"In this application, we have asked Najib and Shafee to produce statements over a certain period of time (when the payment was made)," she said.

Last week, Anwar filed an application to set aside his Sodomy II conviction in light of the alleged RM9.5 million payout made by Najib to Shafee via two payments.

In the discovery order application, Anwar sought Najib to reveal his statement of account of bank or banks that he possesses, between Aug 2013 and Oct 2013, and Jan 2014 to March 2014, especially in relation to the alleged payments of RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million to Shafee on Sept 11, 2013 and Feb 17 2014, respectively.

He also sought from Shafee, his financial statement during the same period.

The two are to give the details within 14 days of the court order.

Anwar, in his supporting affidavit to the application, said leave should be allowed for the application as the bank statements sought are all held by Najib and Shafee and they are the sole persons who have personal knowledge of it.

He contended as the alleged payments were made, it had breached his rights guaranteed under Article 5 (1) of the Federal Constitution as he had been denied a fair trial, as a result of Shafee's appointment, who allegedly had substantial financial interest in the case.

Anwar further claimed Najib is an interested person in the case against him.

The PKR de facto leader said the documents in the application are crucial for the court to arrive at a determination in the case to confirm the alleged payment of RM9.5 million by Najib to Shafee.

“The documents are in both Najib and Shafee's possession, or custody, or can be readily obtained by both of them from their respective banks, for it to be authorised to be released to them,” he said.

Anwar added that in the absence of such documents, he would be put through unnecessary costs, trouble, and expense and will be seriously prejudiced to prepare his case.

Sarawak Report had claimed that the payment was made to Shafee in two tranches, in the lead up to Anwar's imprisonment by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014.

Both Najib and Shafee have so far declined to comment. 

Anwar's originating summons to the application has been fixed for case management before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Kamaludin Md Said on June 21.