This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on September 19, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak asked for an early break in yesterday’s proceedings of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial to seek treatment for his eyes following the worsening haze engulfing the country.

Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed High Court Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client had to leave at 11am to see an eye doctor in Mid Valley.

Muhammad Shafee said Najib could not seek treatment in the afternoon during the court’s lunch break as the specialist may be closed during that time.

“If he does not go to treat [his eyes], then it may result in his conjunctivitis recurring again and hence resulting in the postponement of the trial by another two or three days. I propose that we adjourn early at 11am in the morning so Najib can go and seek his treatment and resume back in the afternoon,” he said.

Last week, Najib was given medical leave on Wednesday and Thursday after catching conjunctivitis.

Justice Sequerah said the court was agreeable to this, provided that the proceedings continue beyond 5pm.

Appointed senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram suggested that the morning proceedings continue without Najib’s presence.

“His presence can be dispensed with as he is represented by his counsel and we can continue,” the former Federal Court judge said.

Muhammad Shafee disagreed, saying it is the practice in a commonwealth for an accused person to be present in court proceedings, so Najib’s presence could not be dispensed with.

When Sri Ram disagreed with this, Justice Sequerah cut the matter short and said he would adjourn the morning proceedings at 11.30am and the trial would continue at 2pm and the proceedings would go on after 5pm.

Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, who is the prosecution’s eighth witness, was being cross-examined by the defence.

This was not the first time Najib came down with pink-eye.

During the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial, Najib was also given two days’ medical leave as a result of conjunctivitis.