THE 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial was postponed after the accused and former prime minister Najib Razak did not turn up at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today afternoon.

Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told the court that his client is in Parliament where he is given a slot to speak.

In seeking the court’s understanding, Shafee said previously late DAP lawmaker Karpal Singh was allowed to attend parliamentary sessions when he was in the midst of a trial after being charged with sedition.

Shafee told the court before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Najib, who is Pekan MP, would like to exercise his parliamentary duties.

“My client would like to convey his apologies to Yang Ariff and to my learned friend (senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram) that he is not able to present himself today due to unavoidable circumstances.”

Shafee said Najib’s speaking slot, slated for 11am, had been taken up by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The slot was later shifted to between 3.10pm and 3.20pm.

Shafee said Najib had been preparing his speech for two weeks and that giving up the slot would result in being penalised from speaking for two months.

Sri Ram told the court that he was under instructions from Attorney-General Tommy Thomas to object to such a reason.

“I would be most grateful that this is the last episode of such a thing happening. He (Najib) could have obtained a receipt for a different slot if he informed the speaker.”

Shafee said the courts and parliament do not interfere in one another’s jurisdiction.

Sequerah said he does not what to give the impression that the court turns down requests to attend Parliament.

“But he said 2.30pm, he would be here, on that basis I agreed.”

Sequerah later allows the hearing to adjourn to tomorrow 9.30am.

“Let it be said that this is the last time that such a situation happened,” Sequerah said, to which Shafee apologised again.

“My client feels very bad because he did say he would be here.”

On his Facebook page, Najib told his supporters to follow the live streaming of his speech.

“God-willing, I will speak in Parliament. However, my turn was taken up by the incoming 8th prime minister (Anwar), who was allotted 40 minutes.

“Tidak mengapa lah. Lawan tetap lawan. Kita lawan Lim Guan Eng hari ini. (That is fine. Keep fighting. We will fight Lim Guan Eng today).”

 Najib, 66, is on trial for four counts of power abuse to enrich himself with RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 counts of laundering the same amount.

He faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 charges of laundering the same amount.

Najib is represented by a dozen lawyers led by Shafee.

Sri Ram, a former Federal Court judge, leads the prosecution and Sequerah presides. – October 15, 2019.