THE 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) forfeiture trial against Najib Razak, his wife, three children and 13 others has been postponed to a later date following new development in the case. 

Deputy public prosecutor Fatin Hadni Khairuddin informed Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that the prosecution had received several letters and needed more time to look at them. 

“There are new developments with regard to the case. We have received letters with regards to this case and the assets.

“Due to the movement-control order, we need more time to look at the letters and update the court,” the deputy public prosecutor told Zaini. 

The case will now be heard on August 30, where the prosecution will reply to a challenge against the forfeiture proceedings concerning over RM31 million in assets and valuables linked to 1MDB. 

Zaini also informed the parties today that he would be delivering a judgment on the case in a month or two after the hearing on August 30. 

“I do not want to merely deliver a decision, but a judgment as well, so parties can have an idea of how I came to the decision. In my estimation, I should deliver a decision in one to two months with full judgment.” 

On May 8, 2019, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed the 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit against Najib and the 17 others, comprising individuals and companies. 

The legal action is over the seizure of hundreds of items, including luxury handbags and 27 vehicles, from the 18 respondents. 

Previously, Rosmah’s lawyer Iskandar Shah Ibrahim had argued that the prosecution failed to prove the existence of a money trail that showed the 263 handbags seized from her residence were purchased using 1MDB funds. 

The lawyer also claimed that only 52 of the 263 handbags were owned by Rosmah while the rest were gifts from her daughter Nooryana Najwa’s wedding. 

Meanwhile, fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho’s mother Got Gaik Ewe, global bankers Goldman Sachs and banker Roger Ng were among those who filed to challenge the forfeiture proceedings. 

The government is also looking to seize Goh’s Tg Bungah bungalow in Penang. Her lawyer M. Puravalen however argued that the 30-year-old property was not related to 1MDB. 

In the suit, Najib was named as the first respondent, followed by his wife Rosmah, stepson Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, son Nor Ashman Razak, and daughter Nooryana as the second, third, fourth and fifth respondents respectively. 

The others are Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh, Ng, lawyer Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun. 

Besides the 263 handbags, the government is seeking to recover assets worth in excess of RM31 million involving 40 pieces of branded watches, 27 pairs of branded shoes, cash in various denominations, 26 Nissan Urvan vehicles and a Nissan X-Trail. – July 23, 2021.