Court allows Najib's application, stay proceedings of Anina's lawsuit

The High Court here today allowed UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Razak's application for a stay of all proceedings on a suit filed by former UMNO member Anina Saadudin concerning repayment of a sum of RM2.6 billion.

Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab made the decision in chambers in the presence of lawyers Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, representing Najib and UMNO executive-secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh, and Mohd Hanif Khatri Abdulla, representing Anina.

Following the decision, Najib and Ab Rauf, who was also named a defendant in the suit, would not be required to file their statement of defence and other affidavits.

Najib and Ab Rauf had applied for the stay pending the court hearing of their application to strike out the suit by Anina.

The court set Oct 6 for case management of the application to strike out the suit.

Mohd Hafarizam told reporters that the decision by the judge was made on the ground that the filing of affidavits of defence could affect the application by the defendants to strike out the suit and statement of claims filed by Anina.

"The judge also ruled that it would not prejudice the plaintiff if the defence is not filed now because if the court dismisses the application to strike out the suit and statement of claims, the plaintiff still get the chance to see the defence to be filed by the defendants," he added.

Anina filed the suit last Aug 28, which among others, to seek a portion of the RM2.6 billion allegedly channeled by Najib into an account which does not belong to UMNO in Singapore.