Datuk Seri Najib Razak being called by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to file his defence in the civil suit brought against him and three others by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for allegedly overspending in their 13th general election campaign, did not mean that evidence of crime were stacked against the Prime Minister.
In a media statement Friday, Mohd Hafarizam Harun, the lawyer representing Najib, said the connotation brought by this case was different than that of a criminal proceeding.
“With respect to the directions given on Thursday by the KL High Court for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to file his defence on or by Oct 1, 2015, it is to be stressed here that it is not a finding of prima facie case of charge, where Datuk Seri Najib has to enter or call upon to put his defence. That is only applicable in a criminal case, which is not the case here.
“In any civil suit, the defendants have the statutory right to response or reply. That is done via a statement of defence which the Court has given Datuk Seri Najib and also three others to file within the stipulated times.
“There is nothing unusual or obscure about this direction since it has been an accepted practice all this while,” said Mohd Hafarizam.
On Friday, another of Najib’s lawyer, Choo Shi Jiu had told reporters that the deputy registrar, Norfauzani Mohd Nordin, of the KL High Court had given instructions that the defendants were also at liberty to file interlocutory applications by Oct 9.
This follows the Court being informed by the defendants of their intention to do so in the near future.
The interlocutory applications, according to Mohd Hafarizam, could include applications to strike out the suit altogether, if the case brought by the plaintiffs is seen as scandalous, frivolous or vexatious.
On Aug 12, PKR had filed the suit against Najib for allegedly violating election laws following an expose by The Wall Street Journal that funds worth US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into his personal account.
The suit also named three others as defendants – Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad and the Election Commission of Malaysia.
The plaintiffs comprises PKR's jailed de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, vice-president Batu MP Tian Chua, former secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and ex-PAS member, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The suit filed was filed at the KL High Court through lawyer Tommy Thomas.
Election laws limits electoral spending to RM100,000 and RM200,000 for a state and parliamentary candidate respectively.
Najiah Najib
Fri Sep 04 2015
![Najib filing statement of defence in PKR lawsuit is procedural - Lawyer Najib filing statement of defence in PKR lawsuit is procedural - Lawyer](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-09/71441275928_DatukSeriNajibTun.jpg)
Najib being instructed to file his defence in the PKR civil suit does not mean that criminal evidence are stacked against him, says Mohd Hafarizam.
![Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/51714453013_courtgavelmahkam.jpg)
Hukuman penjara bapa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas 3 anak perempuan dikurangkan
Dalam penghakimannya, Che Mohd Ruzima berkata perayu gagal membuktikan bahawa Mahkamah Sesyen terkhilaf dalam memutuskan kes itu.
Malaysia-Brunei adakan rundingan mudahkan urusan Imigresen
Malaysia dan Brunei akan mengadakan rundingan bagi memudahkan proses keluar masuk rakyat kedua-dua negara.
![Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721124936_KimPanGon.jpg)
Pan-gon mahu kekal hubungan baik dengan Malaysia
Bekas ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya Kim Pan-gon mahu mengekalkan hubungan baik dengan skuad itu biarpun tidak lagi bersama.
Kos pampasan tanah fasa 1B proses Projek LPB Sabah RM1.2 bilion - Alexander
Anggaran kos pengambilan balik tanah bagi keseluruhan Fasa 1B proses pengambilan tanah dan penilaian pampasan tanah bagi Projek Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo Sabah (LPB Sabah) berjumlah RM1.2 bilion.
Sentiasa berhati-hati, ribut petir diramal berlaku di Sabah
Orang ramai khususnya yang tinggal di kawasan berisiko di Sabah disaran agar bersiap siaga terutama dari segi perubahan cuaca yang tidak menentu yang seterusnya akan mengakibatkan bencana banjir dan pokok tumbang.
Nasib acara sepak takraw wanita diketahui Khamis ini
Nasib acara sepak takraw wanita berpasukan dalam Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) edisi ke-21 di Sarawak akan ditentukan dalam Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa SUKMA Peringkat Kebangsaan pada Khamis ini.
JPBM Sabah serah jentera khas buat pasukan sukarela
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) negeri Sabah sedang dalam perancangan untuk menyerahkan jentera khas, iaitu Volunter Fire Rescue Tender (VFRT) untuk Pasukan Bomba Sukarela (PBS) di Sabah.
Sarawak akan pertahan pingat sukan Muay Thai edisi lalu
Skuad Sarawak akan berusaha mempertahankan masing-masing dua emas, perak dan gangsa dalam kejohanan SUKMA yang dimenangi dalam edisi lalu.
![Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721124841_TBFAM.jpg)
Usaha pujuk Pan-gon tidak berhasil - Yusoff Mahadi
FAM pernah berusaha memujuk Kim Pan-gon untuk terus mengemudi skuad Harimau Malaya hingga kontraknya tamat secara rasmi pada akhir tahun depan.
![Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/51708604164_kasperskyancamans.jpg)
Kaspersky tinggalkan pasaran AS bermula 20 Julai ini
Kaspersky mengesahkan kurang 50 pekerja akan terkesan, dan mereka akan diberikan pampasan susulan penutupan syarikat tersebut.