THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today fixed October 15 to hear a judicial review application by Professor Dr N. Sundra Rajoo regarding the former Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) director’s entitlement to immunity from charges.

Judge Mariana Yahya set the date after case management in chambers, in the presence of counsel K. Shanmuga, representing Sundra Rajoo, and federal counsel M. Kogilambigai, acting for the respondents, namely the Foreign Ministry, attorney-general, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and government.

Shanmuga told reporters that the court also allowed Sundra Rajoo’s application to amend a statement, to include additional grounds to support his judicial review bid.

“The Attorney-General’s Chambers didn’t object (to the amendment), so the statement was amended. We just added more grounds.”

On May 23, the Court of Appeal granted leave to Sundra Rajoo to commence judicial review proceedings to argue over the matter of his entitlement to immunity from charges.

Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli, who chaired a three-man bench, made the ruling after allowing Sundra Rajoo’s appeal against the high court’s decision on March 26 to dismiss his application for leave for a judicial review regarding the matter.

The panel held the unanimous view that the case was suitable for a review by the appellate court, and ordered it to be heard before another high court judge.

Sundra Rajoo, 63, who headed AIAC from 2010 till last year, filed for leave for judicial review proceedings on March 4 this year, seeking a declaration that he has immunity from charges as a former high-ranking officer at AIAC, for acts done within his official capacity.

He is seeking an order prohibiting the attorney-general from laying any charge or bringing any proceedings in any court in Malaysia against him with regard to anything done in his capacity as AIAC director, and more specifically, with regard to any act or omission by him during his term as AIAC director in relation to the property, funds, documents and affairs of the centre.

He is also seeking an order preventing MACC from arresting, detaining, issuing any warrant or bringing any judicial proceedings against him with regard to anything done by him in his capacity as AIAC director.

On March 26, Sundra Rajoo pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to three counts of criminal breach of trust involving AIAC funds amounting to more than RM1 million three years ago. – Bernama, August 21, 2019.