Friday 29 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 1, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Enlarged pictures of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s swollen eyes were shared with High Court Judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah yesterday, as the defence team requested for a postponement of court proceedings because the former premier’s eyes were in pain.

Only three persons sighted the pictures: the judge, lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and senior Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.

“Only three of us have this picture. I hope it doesn’t go into the Internet for Halloween purposes,” Muhammad Shafee told Justice Sequerah.

Muhammad Shafee said he got a call from Najib saying he had gone to see his doctor for a check-up on his swollen eyes.

“The swelling in both of his eyes has become worse, suspecting that it is again conjunctivitis. But the doctor has discovered that he (Najib) may be allergic to certain things. So it needs to be inspected. Tomorrow morning, my client is up for a full blood test.

“Although it is not infectious, he is currently in pain,” Muhammad Shafee explained.

Najib had wanted to come to court at first, Muhammad Shafee said, adding that he had suggested that the former premier wear “dark glasses”. “Unfortunately, the swelling has [gone] beyond the dark glasses. He apologises for the inconvenience to Yang Arif and the prosecution team,” Muhammad Shafee said.

Outside the courtroom, Muhammad Shafee told reporters that Najib was on a one-day medical leave.

“In the light, or sunlight, it is painful, and it is not just the eye, the fleshy part around the eye is also swollen,” he said, adding that Najib may not join the campaigning for the Tanjung Piai by-election if his eye problem persists.

This is the second time the defence team has asked for court proceedings of this case, referred to as the 1MDB-Tanore trial, to be postponed due to Najib’s eye condition, not counting the one time it caused the deferrment of proceedings during the SRC International Sdn Bhd case. Najib was previously reported to have contracted conjunctivitis due to the haze.

On the defence’s request for the prosecution to hand over documents it obtained from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission vide a pendrive from former PetroSaudi International Ltd employee Xavier Andre Justo, Justice Sequerah has set Nov 21 for case management of the application. The trial will resume on Monday.

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