MCO or not, criminal trials will resume on Jan 27
Other big cases include former prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion. It will resume on Feb 18. The Pekan MP’s 1MDB audit report trial for abuse of power will resume on Feb 8. Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial over the undersea tunnel project will also begin on June 8.
(FMT) – All criminal trials and proceedings nationwide will resume from Jan 27, even if the movement control order (MCO) or conditional MCO are still in force.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said priority should be given to public interest cases that include corruption, commercial crimes, environmental, habeas corpus, domestic violence and any breach of regulations under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
The country’s top judge said pre-2020 cases where trials had started and cases that involved child offenders should also be given preference.
One of the first major public interest cases upon the resumption is that of former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi which is scheduled for Jan 27. Zahid is facing 12 CBT charges, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering, totalling RM117 million.
Other big cases include former prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion. It will resume on Feb 18. The Pekan MP’s 1MDB audit report trial for abuse of power will resume on Feb 8.
Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial over the undersea tunnel project will also begin on June 8.
Other MPs facing charges in the next few months are Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (Putrajaya), Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan) Ahmad Maslan (Pontian) Abdul Azeez Rahim (Baling).
“Where parties apply to hear for special reasons and exceptional circumstances, it can be given priority.” Tengku Maimun said in a circular dated today to judicial officers, Attorney-Chamber Chambers and the three Bars representing the peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak and sighted by FMT.
However, she said judges concerned could use their discretion to decide which cases could be conducted in open court.
She said all criminal applications must be done in open court or by way of virtual hearings and all proceedings must begin and end according to schedule.
“In a day, three sessions can be held with one lasting up to 90 minutes,” she said.
She said the court should ensure in all proceedings, only the accused and two family members or friends were present.
Only one deputy public prosecutor and lawyer or an appropriate number and a witness could be in the courtroom. At any one time, only two witnesses can be in a room provided for them.
Meanwhile, an SOP issued by the court said the media were barred in the courtroom. However, the court will consider providing live feed or remote proceeding for the media to follow when it involves public interest cases.
