KUALA LUMPUR: The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been postponed for two days due to the former prime minister being warded at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) since Monday for acute knee pain.
HKL’s senior orthopaedic consultant Dr Siti Hawa Tahir informed the High Court that the Prisons Department had referred Najib to her following a complaint of acute pain in his right knee.
“Datuk Seri Najib was given medical certificate (MC) for two days and the current treatment provided to him is a strong analgesic for his pain.
“As of now, he is on opioids. We want him to be able to walk comfortably with no other complications,” she told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah yesterday.
The doctor said opioids had led to Najib complaining of drowsiness since he was prescribed the medication on Monday night.
“There were probably other symptoms as well but I have not seen him this morning (yesterday morning),” said Dr Siti Hawa, who was on the witness stand.
Justice Sequerah asked whether Najib would be fit to attend the trial today, to which Dr Siti said Najib might not be able to stand for long as opioids could make one drowsy.
“Whenever any patient is on an opioid, the medical team needs to be on standby,” she said.
She added that different patients react differently to treatments when asked when the inflammation would settle.
Justice Sequerah said the court might need the doctor to return and further explain Najib’s situation to the court if his knee condition prolonged.
Referring to the two days of MC, he said: “We just lost two precious days. We will continue the trial on Thursday.”
The court also reminded parties the deadline for written submissions would be on Oct 4.
Najib, 71, is on trial for 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him the financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.
The four counts of power abuse were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the amount or gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
For the 21 charges of money laundering, Najib is charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM5mil and imprisonment for up to five years, or both, upon conviction.
