The government has today informed the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that it is intervening in the Lebanese jeweller's RM60 million suit against Rosmah Mansor.

Earlier, a source close to the government told Malaysiakini that it would send a representative from the Attorney-General's Chambers to the case.

"The government believes it owns the said jewellery. Hence we will intervene," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, senior federal counsel, Narkunavathy Sundarson, who represented the AGC, told reporters that she has applied with senior assistant registrar Siti Faraziana Zainuddin to be the intervener. 

"AG Tommy Thomas will apply to intervene as all the said jewellery are bought with stolen money," she said.

Following this, Narkunavathy said the AGC will make a formal application regarding this. Lawyer Satwant Kaur appeared for the plaintiff.

The senior federal counsel further said that Siti Faraziana had directed Rosmah's lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent to submit Rosmah's defence by July 23 and the case management has been fixed on July 27.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that Beirut-based firm Global Royalty Trading SAL had last month filed the suit to recover the 44 pieces jewellery sent on consignment to the wife of former premier Najib Abdul Razak.

The items were sent to Rosmah in February, and seized by the police in May.

The suit was filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on June 26 through the firm of Messrs David Gurupatham and Koay.

In its statement of claim, the Beirut-based firm alleged that Rosmah was a long-standing customer and that the company also sold pieces of jewellery around the world, including to royal families.

Global Royalty claimed that as in previous years, the company would send a consignment of jewellery to Rosmah according to her demand for her to evaluate and purchase, and to be paid by her or by a third party. Pieces of jewellery that were not chosen would be returned.

Global Royalty further alleged that at times, Rosmah would borrow the jewellery, and she or her agent would receive them in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Dubai.

The jeweller claimed Rosmah had acknowledged receiving them, but they are no longer in her custody as the authorities have seized them.

In the suit, Global Royalty sought a declaration from the court that it is the rightful owner of the 44 items of jewellery and further sought a mandatory order for the items to be returned or alternatively, if those items cannot be returned, that Rosmah pays the amount stated based on the value of the jewellery.

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