1MDB trial on pause as Najib in hospital for fluctuating blood pressure

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Muhammad Shafee is seen at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on May 12, 2022. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been hospitalised, his lawyer told the High Court here this morning, pulling the brakes on the former prime minister’s ongoing trial for the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) funds.

“Datuk Seri Najib has been taken ill, he is currently warded in the General Hospital Kuala Lumpur,” Najib’s lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

The lawyer added that his client would not be able to attend court today and maybe tomorrow.

“As of this morning, I’m told, Yang Arif, at 7.30am in the morning as well as at 9.30am just now, that the likelihood of certain tests being proceeded on him would take a few more days but they have not said exactly the number of days. Definitely today is off, Yang Arif. Definitely he cannot come, and I think certainly tomorrow as well.

“Because there are issues with his health, because he seems to have exhibited fluctuating blood pressure, so the cause for it has not been detected so they are doing their very best,” Shafee said.

He added that Najib will be transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) later.

“There is a possibility, in fact a certainty, there’s going to be a transfer from GHKL to IJN,” he said.

Najib’s 1MDB trial was initially scheduled to take place from Monday to Thursday this week.

The judge instructed the prosecution and defence to return to court tomorrow afternoon to reassess the situation.

Shafee told reporters later that Najib has been warded since 1.30pm yesterday, and also confirmed that Najib would be transferred to IJN today.

Najib is currently serving his 12-year jail sentence for stealing RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1MDB subsidiary.

Today marks his 22nd day after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence and sent him to jail on August 23.

However, he is still on trial for two other criminal cases though he has been making intermittent trips to the hospital.

On September 4, Najib was admitted to HKL for the day to undergo health checks. He then appeared the next day in court for his 1MDB trial.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry disclosed that Najib had been admitted to HKL again on September 9 for an elective procedure to ensure his health would be at optimum levels.

The ministry said the type of medication prescribed to Najib while he was warded was the same type as what he had been using.

The ministry also said the 69-year-old was in good health before he was discharged from the hospital.

Apart from providing clarification regarding Najib’s previous admission on September 9 and his subsequent discharge, the Health Ministry did not provide any other updates on his status.

Najib’s 1MDB trial yesterday was cut short after he complained of feeling poorly in the morning due to a change in his hypertension medication. — Malay Mail

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