Najib replaces legal team, seeks to postpone final appeal hearing for 1MDB-linked conviction

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak discharged his lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah from his final appeal against the guilty verdict of misappropriating funds belonging to SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). 

According to Malaysia media reports, Muhammad Shafee’s law firm, Messrs Shafee & Co, informed the Federal Court on Tuesday (Jul 26) that Najib has appointed another law firm, Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, to represent him in the appeal.

Messrs Shafee & Co said it was informed of the change on Monday at around 5pm, according to a letter to the Federal Court sighted by Malay Mail. 

The change in legal representation came just weeks before the country’s highest court is scheduled to hear Najib’s final appeal in the RM42 million (US$9.4 million) corruption case.

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The Federal Court has set aside 10 days from Aug 15 to Aug 19, and Aug 22 to Aug 26, to hear the appeal.

Najib was found guilty of misappropriating the SRC International funds by the High Court on Jul 28, 2020. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million. 

The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8, 2021 when the three-judge panel unanimously dismissed Najib’s appeal against the High Court’s decision. 

In its letter to the Federal Court, Messrs Shafee & Co said it was in the process of completing the full physical and digital transfer of documents to the new law firm, which it expected to be completed by Tuesday. 

According to a report by the Star, the new law firm, Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, informed the Federal Court that senior lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik from Messrs Hisyam Teh will be the main counsel leading the appeal. 

Mr Liew Teck Huat and Mr Rueben Mathiaravanam, both from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, will be co-counsels, it added.

The firm said it also received instructions to seek a postponement of the appeal, according to the Star. 

The firm requested the apex court to fix an immediate mention date. 

“Depending on the court, we humbly request a mention date or a case management date to be fixed on or before Jul 29,” the Star quoted the letter as saying. 

Mr Teh is the lead counsel representing United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the latter’s corruption trial involving funds from charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.

Last Thursday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court rejected an application by British Queen’s Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to be admitted to the Bar to represent Najib in his final appeal.

In its brief decision, the court said that there were no novel, complex and serious issues in the appeal that would require the Queen Counsel's participation.

DECISION MADE AFTER CONSULTING LAWYERS IN SINGAPORE AND INDIA: NAJIB 

In a statement on Tuesday, representatives of Najib said the decision to change lawyers was made after he consulted lawyers in Singapore and senior advocates from India, New Straits Times reported. 

Another factor was the High Court's dismissal of the application by Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to be admitted to fight his case.

“The change in lawyers comes after Jonathan Laidlow QC was not admitted to appear for Najib and after he had consulted lawyers in Singapore and Indian senior advocates on the matter,” Najib's representatives were quoted as saying by the Malaysian Insight in a statement. 

"Najib expresses confidence that the new team that has been assembled will bring different perspectives to his defence," the statement added. 

Muhammad Shafee will continue to represent Najib in all his other trials, it said, and Najib stated that it is unfair for the media to report that Messrs Shafee & Co has been "evicted" or "ditched". 

“He joins many others in their confidence that the Malaysian legal system and legal processes will prove his innocence and provide the justice that all Malaysians deserve in law,” it said.