JC withdraws from hearing Najib’s suit against Pua

KUALA LUMPUR: A High Court judicial commissioner, who used to be an active politician, has withdrawn from hearing an injunction by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak against Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua over a video clip posted on Facebook.

Najib’s counsel Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said the judge fixed May 31 for case management before a deputy registrar.

The twopage statement was read by Mohd Hafarizam outside the courtroom yesterday.

JC Wan Ahmad Farid decided on the grounds that it was common knowledge that before being appointed to the bench, he was an active politician and at one time a member of the administration and Dewan Negara.

The JC said on the eve of his appointment to the bench, he resigned from the political party and that he was never a member of the administration headed by the plaintiff.

JC Wan Ahmad Farid said questions of his political involvement had arisen “fairly recently” and the public perception of the independence of the judiciary should not be shaken in any way.

Najib had on April 21 sued Pua over the posting of a video on Facebook about PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act.

Najib claimed Pua broadcast it from the Parliament complex on April 6.

The plaintiff claimed that the almost twoandahalfminute clip contained slanderous words against him in his capacity as Prime Minister and Finance Minister. The video was posted on Pua’s Facebook page and was accessible to users worldwide, according to Najib.

The Prime Minister is claiming that Pua had malicious intent to slander him and knew that the video would affect his reputation.

Najib said it also implied that he was a leader who practised dirty politics to ensure he stayed in power and portrayed him as having conspired with PAS “to split Malay votes among the Opposition parties”.

He also claimed the statements suggested he was cheating the people in a scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and implied he had stolen the people’s money.