Court sets March 24 to hear AGC's appeal over Najib's addendum

Summary

• The Federal Court sets March 24 to hear the government's appeal to halt Najib Abdul Razak's judicial review linked to a royal addendum.

• The ex-premier claims the existence of a supplementary royal decree that allows him to serve his six-year jail sentence under house arrest.

The apex court has set March 24 to hear the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) application for leave to appeal against ex-premier Najib Abdul Razak's judicial review linked to a royal addendum.

The Federal Court today set the hearing date for the government's appeal to halt Najib's ongoing civil action seeking to serve house arrest.

Previously, the AGC announced its intent to appeal against the Court of Appeal ruling earlier this year granting leave for Najib to commence the judicial review.

The AGC said its appeal is based on conflicting interpretations of the law between the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

It argued there were also matters of constitutional law that needed to be heard.

Addendum allowing house arrest

In January, in a split 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeal allowed Najib's appeal for leave to commence judicial review to compel the home minister and the government to enforce a supplementary decree by the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The High Court had dismissed the judicial review application before that.

The addendum signed by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, supposedly commutes Najib's prison sentence to be served under house arrest.

The Pahang palace had affirmed the existence of the addendum in a letter produced in court.

However, government lawyers argued that the addendum was not discussed during the last Pardons Board meeting chaired by Sultan Abdullah - which only decided to reduce Najib's sentence to six years in prison and an RM50 million fine.

Last year, the board's royal advice led to a decree to discount Najib's initial 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine over a RM42 million corruption case linked to SRC International.

However, Najib claimed there was a supplementary royal decree allowing him house arrest instead of serving time at Kajang Prison.

Najib's judicial review is pending before the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The civil court has also set April 28 to hear the AGC's application for a gag order to prevent media reporting and potentially prejudicial public discourse over Najib's judicial review.

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