THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has decided to adjourn Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial for the rest of the week as the former prime minister is still warded at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is representing the Pekan MP, said HKL issued Najib a medical leave certificate valid for today and tomorrow. 

“The Prison Department gave us the medical certificate via WhatsApp. 

“But we believe it is a genuine one because a highly qualified hospital doctor has signed it,” he said. 

Shafee submitted a copy of the medical certificate to the court. 

The medical certificate was issued by clinical specialist Dr Mohd Fadhli Zil Ikram Karim from HKL. 

Shafee said that he managed to meet Najib today at HKL after waiting for almost three hours adding that the latter was unsure how long he would be admitted. 

“Having spoken to my client, even he is not surprised if he is hospitalised over the weekend because of the number of tests (to be performed). 

“The information (of admission) has not been given to him. All he knows is that he will be undergoing various tests on a daily basis,” Shafee said. 

Taking into consideration of Najib’s medical condition, presiding judge Collins Lawrence Sequerah  then postponed the trial until September 26. 

He asked Shafee if the accused would to be better by then, to which Shafee responded “Yes, given the time”. 

Najib has been warded at HKL since Monday evening.  

Yesterday, the lawyer said that Najib was exhibiting unexpected fluctuations in his blood pressure. 

Najib’s condition improving 

Addressing the court, Shafee said that based on Najib’s current medical reports, the condition of the former prime minister is improving. 

He said this could be because Najib was given his original medications, which he had been taking earlier. 

He denied that Najib had been given his regular medications. 

“Now that he is given the medication he was accustomed to, he is beginning to see his pressure coming down.

“But the pressure is still not satisfactory where it is not back to the original level,” he said. 

Later when met by the press, Shafee expressed difficulty in meeting his client at HKL. 

He said the medical officers were not very helpful, which resulted in his waiting for almost three hours. 

Shafee said that the former prime minister looked to be in discomfort.

“He looked to be in discomfort and not his cheerful self,” the lawyer said. 

When pressed to explain about the medications given to Najib, Shafee said the claims by the Health Ministry are “nonsense”. 

“The medicines and dosage amount are correct, but one is original and the other is not (generic). 

“If anybody from the Health Ministry said they are identical, that’s total nonsense.” 

Shafee also disputed Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim that prison procedures do not allow inmates to be treated at private health institutions. 

The lawyer told the court that Najib could have been transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) only for Khairy to deny him of it. 

Khairy said that Najib will remain in HKL as he is a prisoner. 

“We were initially told by the Health Ministry themselves that Najib will be sent to IJN. 

“They didn’t want to take the risk. He (Najib) is not the first person from prison who requires specialist treatment. If the problem is serious, he has to look for specialists. 

“I don’t think he (Khairy) is right. He should look at the Prison Act,” said Shafee. – September 14, 2022.