SRC's US$1.18 billion suit: Court orders Najib to file defence statement

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today ordered former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to file his statement of defence on the US$1.18 billion suit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC).

Lawyer Lisa Yong, representing SRC, said the order was made by Judge Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin during the case management which was conducted online today.

She said Najib was ordered to file the statement of defence in English today, while the defence statement in Malay to be filed on April 4.

"The court also ordered the plaintiff (SRC) to file the reply to the defence statement on May 13," she said when contacted after the case management.

She said the court also set May 18 for further case management.

On May 7 last year, SRC under its new management filed legal action against Najib and its former directors - Datuk Suboh Md Yassin, Datuk Mohammed Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Datuk Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar, Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Tan Sri Ismee Ismail - but later removed the six names from the suit and retained Najib as the sole defendant

SRC as a plaintiff, in the writ of summons, alleged that Najib had abused his power and obtained personal benefits from SRC funds as well as misappropriated the funds.

Najib was SRC's Emeritus Advisor from May 1, 2012, until March 4, 2019.

SRC, which is now wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc) is seeking general damages, exemplary, additional and interest, costs and other appropriate relief deemed fit by the court.

-- BERNAMA