After Rosmah Najib Also Gets Judge To Step Down In Civil Suit

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A file photograph shows former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on October 16, 2024. — Picture by Yusof Mat IsaKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak's appeal to reinstate his lawsuit against former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas was delayed today after judge Datuk Faizah Jamaludin recused herself.
According to Free Malaysia Today, the appellate court judge said there could be the perception of conflict if she continued in hearing the matter, due to her husband’s involvement in the recovery of 1MDB assets.
“However, my husband retired as chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services Sdn Bhd (PwC) more than a year ago,” she was quoted as saying.
She also acknowledged knowing lawyers for both sides, having worked with them under Thomas in the 1990s.
Earlier, Najib's lawyer Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin said perceived bias could undermine the case's credibility.
Firoz said he was not questioning Faizah's integrity but sought fairness in judicial proceedings.
Datuk Hashim Hamzah, who chaired the panel hearing the case, then rescheduled the hearing to Dec 3.
Last year, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi also recused herself from the case.
In October 2021, Najib sued Thomas over the latter's role as the AG at the time in bringing criminal charges against the former prime minister in the 1MDB corruption scandal.
Thomas, who was AG from 2018 to 2020, succeeded in dismissing the case back in November 2022, prompting Najib’s appeal.
Earlier today, a judge hearing 1MDB’s civil suit to recover RM1.6 billion from Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, also recused himself from hearing the matter. - malaymail

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