Malaysia 1MDB scandal: Najib Razak hires new lawyer, seeks postponement of final appeal hearing

Leading criminal lawyer Hisyam Teh Pok Teik will represent the ex-premier in the hearing before the Federal Court from August 15 to 26

The case, centred on Najib’s appeal against a 12-year sentence, will be closely watched as it is his last chance to escape becoming the country’s PM to be imprisoned

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Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:53pm, 26 Jul 2022

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s highly anticipated final appeal of a conviction in one of the cases linking him with the 1MDB financial scandal could be delayed after his newly appointed lawyers sought a postponement of the hearing.

Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib’s high-profile defence lawyer, on Tuesday morning filed an urgent notice on the politician’s wish to appoint Suffian TH Liew and Partners to represent him in the hearing before the Federal Court from August 15 to 26.

Najib’s defence counsel in the case will now be Hisyam Teh Pok Teik, one of the country’s high-flying criminal lawyers.

Hisyam previously represented Doan Thi Huong, one of the two women who were accused of assassinating Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The change of lawyers came after the Federal Court denied the ex-leader’s request for Queen’s Counsel Jonathan Laidlow to represent him in the hearing, noting that the Briton did not possess special qualifications and experience that were unavailable among local lawyers.