Anwar mulls contempt proceedings against Najib
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is considering citing Datuk Seri Najib Razak for contempt of court following the prime minister’s recent remarks telling the opposition leader to surrender his DNA samples in the on-going sodomy trial.
Anwar’s defence lawyer Karpal Singh said today that Najib had gone against Justice Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah’s recent caution warning all parties against commenting on the trial, and that doing so was tantamount to an act of contempt of court.
The judge said last week that anyone committing an act of contempt in the on-going trial will “face the music”.
“The prime minister should be hauled up here for comments… in telling Anwar to provide DNA.
“Your Lordship should make a ruling for contempt of court for the prime minister,” Karpal told the court today.
But Mohd Zabidin said that if the defence wanted to initiate such proceedings it needed to first file a fresh application to the court.
“If you really feel that way, then you can file an application to the court,” said the judge.
Karpal has charged that Najib was defying the judge by going against his caution.
“All parties concerned must not commit contempt of court.
“Serious considering applying for leave to have PM committed… for contempt of judge’s directive that whoever commits contempt of court will have to face the music,” the lawyer told reporters.
