Hisyam Teh Poh Teik to lead Najib's final SRC appeal

KUALA LUMPUR: Senior lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik (pic) will be leading the RM42mil SRC International appeal involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The Federal Court has been informed in a letter dated July 26 from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, which is the new law firm representing Najib in the appeal, that Hisyam will be the main counsel.

ALSO READ: Shafee's firm discharged from Najib's SRC appeal, Zaid's firm to take over

The law firm is taking over the appeal after Najib discharged Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in the appeal at the Federal Court.

"Hisyam from Messrs Hisyam Teh will be the main counsel.

"Liew Teck Huat and Rueben Mathiaravanam, both from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, will be co-counsels," it said.

Hisyam is the currently the lead counsel in the corruption case of Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing 47 charges of corruption involving Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB).

In the letter, signed by Liew as the firm's senior partner and addressed to the Federal Court deputy registrar, it sought for the apex court to fix an immediate mention date or a case management date for parties to obtain further instructions from the court.

"Depending on the court, we humbly request a mention date or a case management date to be fixed on or before July 29," it said.

It also stated that it received instructions from its client, Najib, to withdraw the appeal against a recent High Court's decision that dismissed an application by British lawyer Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw who sought to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor in the High Court of Malaya.

This was to allow Laidlaw to represent Najib in the SRC appeal.

The firm said it also received instructions to seek a postponement of the main appeal which has been scheduled for a 10-day hearing between Aug 15 and Aug 26.

Laidlaw's application was dismissed by the High Court on July 21.

It is understood that Shafee & Co would still be representing Najib in his other 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-related trial; namely the RM2.28bil 1MDB trial and the 1MDB audit tampering trial.