Najib gets two days medical leave, 1MDB trial vacated

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial at the High Court here has been taken off for today and tomorrow as the former premier is on medical leave for two days after being warded at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) since yesterday.

Najib's counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Najib has been undergoing various medical tests on a daily basis at the hospital due to his blood pressure and stomach ulcer condition.

"I finally get to meet my client after waiting at the hospital for almost three hours today, although he himself does not know how long he is going to be in the ward.

"There is a medical certificate (MC) that was provided by Jabatan Penjara and was sent to Muhammad Farhan (Najib's other lawyer) by WhatsApp. It is based on medical examination and the MC is for 14 and 15 Sept and it mentions Datuk Seri Najib is in ward 21 at the hospital," he said.

The lawyer said Najib's blood pressure is coming down after taking his accustomed medicine although it was not as satisfactory to his usual blood pressure.

"Testing is being done for his blood pressure. I must also inform Yang Arif that my client has had a history of very bad ulcer and didn't realise three months ago he was at a critical stage.

"Recently as Yang Arif knows he went to the hospital because he complained of discomfort and they found numerous ulcers that bleed. I think for that reason he was being tested to ensure the blood pressure has got nothing do with that, but perhaps a mere contingency of the medicine," said the lawyer.

In response to the explanation, Justice Sequerah asked if Najib ought to be better by next week, as the 1MDB trial is scheduled to resume on Sept 26 and vacated this week's trial since there is no possibility for the trial to commence tomorrow.

Muhammad Shafee said he thinks Najib should be better by then, just in time for the scheduled trial dates.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said they have no objection to this week's trial being vacated as the MC came from a government medical officer.

Meanwhile, when met by reporters after the proceeding, Muhammad Shafee said Najib is "not his cheerful self" and is still experiencing discomfort due to his condition.

"The doctors have restored his medicine to the original one (which Najib usually take). The previous medicine and the amount was given in the correct dosage, but the one he is used to is the original one and not from a generic brand.

"Contrary to what was said in the news, the generic (medicine) might not be as effective as the original," he said while adding Najib's current blood pressure reading at the hospital is at 124 over 84, compared to his usual reading at 110 over 80.

When asked regarding Najib's admittance to the National Heart Institute (IJN), Muhammad Shafee said so far there is no indication on his (Najib) transfer to the specialist hospital.

"He has no medical condition relating to his heart, per se, but because it (stomach ulcer) causes bleeding, it can really go into a heart issue which leads to stroke," he said.

Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

On Aug 23 this year, Najib was sent to Kajang Prison after the Federal Court upheld the conviction and sentence of 12 years' jail and RM210 million fine imposed on him for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

-- BERNAMA