KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 9): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) audit report tampering trial is set to continue next week, but for one week only for now, as further dates will only be set next Thursday (Jan 16).

The High Court has today fixed for proceedings to continue from Monday (Jan 13) to Thursday next week.

Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said the Monday session will be from 9.30am to 2pm, while proceedings from Tuesday to Thursday will carry on from 2pm to 5pm, although the defence said it would not mind if proceedings were to continue up until 6pm.

"We don't mind to have the proceedings up until 6pm," said Najib's counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

"I wouldn't mind if it was until 6pm as well, but I am mindful of the counsels' need for rest. I will leave it to the counsels if they would like to continue until 6pm," said the judge.

Justice Mohamed Zaini said the court will revisit the following trial dates at the end of next week, to ensure that the upcoming dates do not clash with Najib's other trials.

Also present during the case mention today was Datuk K Sivananthan, the lawyer of the second defendant in the suit, former 1MDB president and chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy, as well as senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.

Najib and Arul Kanda have claimed trial in the audit report tampering case.

Najib is charged with abusing his power to amend the final 1MDB audit report before it was submitted to the PAC to protect himself from disciplinary, civil and criminal actions, while Arul Kanda has been charged with abetting the former premier.

If convicted, they face a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of at least five times the amount of gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

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