Appeals court weighs timing of Najib’s contempt appeal against ex-AG

2026-03-13 - 05:54

Former prime minister Najib Razak is appealing against the High Court’s dismissal of his application for leave to commence contempt proceedings against former attorney-general Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh. KUALA LUMPUR: The Court of Appeal today suggested that Najib Razak’s contempt appeal against former attorney-general Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh should await his house arrest appeal. A three-member panel comprising Justices Lim Chong Fong, Shahnaz Sulaiman and Nadzarin Wok Nordin raised the matter during the hearing of the former prime minister’s appeal against the High Court’s refusal to grant leave for the contempt action. The court fixed March 30 for case management for the parties to inform the court whether they intend to proceed with the appeal now or wait until the disposal of Najib’s separate appeal relating to his bid to serve his prison sentence under house arrest. Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan, representing the prosecution, told the panel that he would need further instructions from the attorney-general on the matter. Najib is appealing against the High Court’s decision last September that dismissed his application for leave to commence contempt proceedings against Terrirudin. The application stems from a dispute over the alleged existence of an addendum to a royal order Najib claims would allow him to serve the remainder of his six-year jail sentence under house arrest. During the proceedings, the appellate court asked the parties whether the contempt appeal should proceed first or whether it would be more appropriate to await the outcome of the separate appeal concerning the house arrest issue. Najib’s counsel, Shafee Abdullah, later told a media conference that the contempt proceedings were separate from the judicial review proceedings brought under Order 53 of the Rules of Court. He maintained that the contempt application would continue as his client is adamant it will not be withdrawn, considering the amount of time and money spent. Najib, 72, is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case. His original 12-year jail term was halved by the pardons board in February 2024, and his RM210 million fine reduced to RM50 million. He was also convicted by the High Court of abuse of power and money laundering linked to 1MDB, for which he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. The former Pekan MP has appealed that decision. The prosecution today also comprised senior federal counsels Hanir Hambali and Nurhafizza Azizan.