Najib admitted to hospital, 1MDB trial postponed

Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today was postponed as the former prime minister was admitted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) due to a blood pressure condition.

His counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client would not be able to attend court today and perhaps tomorrow.

"Najib has been taken ill, and he has been warded at HKL since yesterday. I’m told as of this morning at 7.30am and 9.30am, the likelihood of certain tests performed on him may take a few more days. 

"Definitely, today is off, Yang Arif. Definitely, he cannot come, and I think certainly tomorrow as well.

"There are issues with his health because he seems to have exhibited fluctuating blood pressure. The cause for it has not been detected, so they are doing their very best," he said.

He added that Najib would be transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) today.

"There is a possibility, in fact a certainty, there's going to be a transfer from HKL to IJN," Shafee said.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam did not object to the postponement, and Sequerah fixed tomorrow afternoon for mention to be updated on Najib's condition.

Yesterday, the trial was cut to half-day after senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, who is leading the prosecution team, told the court that by 2pm Najib had to be taken to hospital for medical attention as the high blood pressure medication he was taking was causing him adverse effects.

He told Sequerah that he was informed by a Kajang Prison officer that Najib’s condition was "quite bad".

The trial had been scheduled to resume until this Thursday. Yesterday, Ambank (M) Bhd Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager R Uma Devi testified as the 37th prosecution witness. 

Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

On Aug 23, he was sent to Kajang Prison after the Federal Court upheld the conviction, 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine imposed on him for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.