PETALING JAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said disagrees with the Attorney General's Chambers’ (AGC) recent application to obtain a gag order on a purported royal addendum that allows Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest.
"Honestly, in my personal view, there should not be a gag order," she told reporters when attending the International Political Financing Conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday (Jan 14), say reports.
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"Firstly, the case is already in public domain.
"Secondly, parliament will convene next month. So all of this will resurface."
The government is applying for a gag order to prevent public discussion about an addendum that the former prime minister claims would allow him to serve the remainder of his SRC International Sdn Bhd prison sentence under house arrest.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan – representing the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the government and five others – made the application orally during case management on Monday (Jan 13).
He cited “sensitive issues” as the reason for the application.
The government also objected to a watching brief conducted by lawyers appearing for MPs from Perikatan Nasional.
On Jan 6, Najib obtained leave from the Court of Appeal in his appeal relating to his claims of a royal addendum order permitting house arrest.
In a 2-1 majority decision, the appellate court overturned the High Court’s dismissal of Najib’s application for leave to initiate judicial review.
The case was remitted to be heard before a different judge at the High Court.
