Najib told to file defence in sacked Umno member’s suit over RM2.6b

(Malay Mail Online) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was today ordered to submit his defence in a lawsuit filed by a sacked Umno member to recover portions of a RM2.6 billion donation allegedly made to the ruling party.

Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, a lawyer for former Langkawi Umno Wanita chief Anina Saadudin, said Najib must respond by next month.

“Court directed Najib to file defence by 1.10, and plaintiff to file reply to defence by 15.10,” he told Malay Mail Online in a text message, with the latter to be filed if necessary.

Haniff said that Najib was also directed to file an affidavit in reply by October 6 to Anina’s two applications last week.

Last week, Anina applied for an injunction to freeze Najib’s assets allegedly worth US$650 million (RM2.7 billion), and asked the court to order Najib to fully declare his all his local and foreign assets either held by himself or others on trust.

Anina also sought for the court to order — via a judgment without the need to go for trial — for the full details of the transactions involving the RM2.6 billion donation since it entered Najib’s account until the present.

Haniff had said then that the two applications will enable Najib’s assets to be secured and avoid any decision on the main lawsuit from becoming academic if the courts decide in Umno’ favour.

On August 28, Anina filed a lawsuit, which she said was done on behalf of Umno, against Najib at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, seeking to claim a US$650 million portion of the US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) said to have been donated to Najib by a friendly Middle Eastern nation to help the Malay ruling party in its 2013 election campaign.

The case management before High Court judicial commissioner Datuk Zaki Wahab has been fixed for October 26.

The lawsuit was filed in Umno’s name through Anina against Najib and Umno executive secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Anina was sacked from Umno by party secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor early this month.

On September 11, she sued Tengku Adnan and Ab Rauf in a bid to declare the termination of her party membership invalid.

Najib has denied taking public funds for personal gains and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is still probing the RM2.6 billion donation said to be from unnamed Middle Eastern sources.