High Court dismisses Najib's bid to extend gag order

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 10): Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak (pictured) has failed in his bid to extend the interim gag order preventing the public and the media from discussing the criminal charges that have been brought against him.

The charges are related to the RM42 million of funds at SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

On July 4, the High Court allowed Najib's application for an interim gag order on the media from discussing the merits of the criminal breach of trust and abuse of power brought against him.

The interim gag order expires today, and the application to extend the interim court directive was heard before a new High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

Mohd Nazlan ruled that Najib's application to extend the interim gag order is unsustainable.

Following the failure to secure the extension of the gag order, Najib's defense lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafeed Abdullah said the defense team will be filing an appeal against the decision of the High Court by next Monday.

The prosecution team was led by Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria and assisted by Manoj Kurup, while the defense team was led by Shafee and 10 other lawyers.

Mohd Nazlan replaces Datuk Mohd Sofian Abd Razak, who granted the interim gag order. The latter has been transferred to a civil court on Aug 1. — theedgemarkets.com

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