GANT1 does not have locus standi to sue Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was yesterday told that the 10 Gerakan Anak Muda Tolak Najib (GANT1) members who had sued Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in regard to an award settlement at the London Court of International Arbitration had no locus standi to do so.

Najib’s counsel Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun pointed out that the group was not involved in the arbitration proceedings in London.

“They have not shown how their interest has been affected and how damage has been done on them when 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) entered into consent award with International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) in London Court of International Arbitration,” he argued.

Mohd Hafarizam told reporters when met that he also submitted to the court that it did not have the jurisdiction to hear the suit.

“The plaintiffs were wrong in naming the prime minister as defendant in the case as he was not involved in the agreement between IPIC and Aabar Investment PJS (Aabar Asli),” he said.

Today’s proceeding in chambers before justice Datuk Hue Siew Kheng was about Najib, 1MDB and the Malaysia government’s application to strike out the group’s suit.

1MDB was represented by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan and the government, by senior federal counsel Alice Loke Yee Ching. The 10 individuals were represented by counsel Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla.

Mohd Hafarizam said the court had fixed Dec 11 for decision on the application.

On July 11, GANT1 which is headed by Parti Amanah Negara, Youth deputy chief Muhammad Faiz Fadzil and nine others filed the suit seeking an explanation on 1MDB and its dealings with International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC).