Appellate Court to hear Anwar’s appeal on Sept 14

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has set Sept 14 to hear the appeal by Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to reinstate his lawsuit against the government relating to his sodomy conviction.

Deputy registrar Haslina Basarudin set the date after the matter came up for case management before her yesterday.

Anwar’s counsel J. Leela and senior federal counsel Mazlifah Ayob for the government, were present at the case management.

On Nov 8, last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court struck out the suit after allowing the government’s application.

Anwar filed the originating summons on June 9, 2017, claiming that he did not get a fair trial in the appeal against his sodomy conviction.

Anwar has sought a declaration that his conviction by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014 was ultra vires the Federal Constitution and thus null and void.

He also wanted an order that the decision by the Federal Court in upholding the Court of Appeal’s decision was ultra vires and therefore null and void.

In his affidavit, he claimed that Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah received RM9.5 million from former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to lead the prosecution team in the appeal over his sodomy conviction.

The government filed the application to strike out Anwar’s suit on grounds that it was petty, had no cause of action and an abuse of the court process.

High Court judge Datin Azizah Nawawi held that Anwar’s case was groundless and without any supporting evidence.

Anwar’s conviction and five years jail term for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was upheld by the Federal Court. Anwar, however, was given full pardon by the King on May 16 this year. - Bernama