THE trial of Najib Razak over 1Malaysia Development Bhd funds, which was set to resume today has been postponed to October 19.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Colin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the hearing to be deferred upon being told by the defence that Najib was in quarantine.

Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed the judge that the former prime minister was  in voluntary isolation at home for two weeks from September 28 to October 12

Najib has just returned from Sabah after campaigning for Barisan Nasional in the state elections.

“My client said he was exposed to someone positive, but he doesn’t know to what extent,” Shafee told the judge.

Prior to his return to the peninsula, Najib underwent screening in Pantai Hospital Sabah on September 27. The result was negative.

Shafee told justice Sequerah that Najib had taken Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s advice to self-quarantine.

Sequerah allowed the defence’s application, saying, “The whole thing could be much ado about nothing but at the same time, at the 13th day, symptoms can manifest.

“In light of the circumstances, I allow the request.”

Former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman is scheduled to return to the stand when the trial resumes.

Najib faces 25 charges of power abuse and money laundering in connection with RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment. – October 5, 2020.