THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed Umno’s application to stay proceedings of a suit by SRC International Sdn Bhd against the political party to claim RM16 million, which was allegedly wrongfully transferred by the company to the party. 

Lawyer Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, representing Umno, said Judicial Commissioner Mohd Arief Emran Arifin dismissed the application on grounds that there are no special circumstances to stay proceedings of the suit. 

“JC Mohd Arief also indicated that the trial of this suit case may be heard in two more years, possibly in 2024, to make way for the disposal of other existing cases.

“The court has set May 9 for further case management by e-review,” the lawyer told reporters after the proceeding today, which was conducted online. 

Also present was lawyer Nur Syafinaz Vani Abdullah, representing SRC International, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd and Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd, which are the plaintiffs named in the suit. 

Umno filed the application on November 24 last year on the grounds the party had filed an appeal in the apex court against the High Court’s decision, made on November 10 the same year, which dismissed its application to quash the suit and allowed an application by the plaintiffs (SRC International, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd and Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd) to amend the writ of summons and statement of claim. 

In a supporting affidavit filed with the application, Umno executive-secretary Mohd Sumali Reduan claimed that it would not be prejudicial to the plaintiffs if the court allowed the application to stay the proceedings of the suit.

Meanwhile, Shahrul said his client’s appeal in the Court of Appeal would be heard on June 14. 

In its writ of summons, the plaintiffs claimed that Umno knew, or ought to have known, that the monies belonged to SRC International and that the political party had no basis to receive the funds. 

On May 10 last year, the Finance Ministry confirmed that 1MDB and its subsidiary, SRC International, had filed 22 civil suits to seek its assets of over RM96.6 billion, including RM300 million from various local parties. 

It said the suits – six by 1MDB and 16 by SRC International – were filed on May 7. – Bernama, March 31, 2022.