Special courts not meant to expedite Najib’s graft trial – Liew

GEORGE TOWN: The proposal to set up Special High Court and Special Appeal Court for corruption cases, is not meant to expedite the graft trial of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, says Law Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

While describing the claim as a manipulation allegation, the minister said the proposal was instead aimed at enabling the judges to focus on corruption cases as most cases could not be solved due to certain problems.

“There are opinions that higher level courts are too busy handling other cases. So, we have to have specific higher level courts to hear corruption cases.

“We saw many corruption cases which cannot be quickly solved because of certain problems. That is why we want a judge who focuses on corruption cases,” he told reporters after visiting the Penang Court Complex here yesterday.

He said once the special higher level courts were in place, all corruption cases would be transferred and tried there.

When asked whether the setting up of the courts would disturb the flow of the existing cases, Liew said it would not as the trial of the cases could proceed at the relevant courts.

“If the trials have yet to begin, we will have the case transferred to the special courts,” he said. - Bernama