PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has withdrawn his appeal over the High Court's decision that dismissed his attempt to refer eight questions of law to the Federal Court linked to a lawsuit filed by Muhammed Yusoff Rawther.
Court of Appeal judge Justice Wong Kian Kheong, who chaired a three-judge panel, also ordered the Tambun MP to pay RM50,000 in costs to Muhammed Yusoff before 5pm on April 6.
"We struck out the appeal with costs," he said here on Wednesday (March 4).
Other judges on the panel were Justices Azmi Ariffin and Latifah Mohd Tahar.
Anwar had wanted to refer eight legal questions relating to immunity from being sued to the Federal Court.
The application was filed in relation to a lawsuit brought by Muhammed Yusoff, a former research assistant, who alleges him of sexual assault eight years ago.
Earlier, Anwar's lawyer Sanjay Mohan informed the Court of Appeal of his client's intention to withdraw and asked the court to fix RM15,000 in costs.
Lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, who represented Muhammed Yusoff however disagreed, saying that the court must consider the time that was wasted and submissions already written.
He asked for RM150,000 in costs.
In May 2025, Anwar filed the application, seeking a court ruling on whether Muhammed Yusoff's lawsuit would impair the effective discharge of his executive duties and undermine the constitutional separation of powers.
Anwar claimed that the lawsuit was a "manufactured claim" and that he was the victim of "politically motivated reputational sabotage".
In his application, Anwar wants the Federal Court to rule that the High Court is obliged to hold a “threshold inquiry” to determine whether the suit constitutes an abuse of process or a threat to public interest, and if so, whether it must be stayed or dismissed “to preserve constitutional governance”.
He is also seeking the court to determine whether he, as the sitting prime minister, is entitled under Article 5(1) of the constitution to protection from a vexatious litigant.
Anwar's application was based on a lawsuit filed by Muhammed Yusoff on July 14, 2021, where he accused Anwar of sexually assaulting him.
In his statement of claim, Muhammed Yusoff alleged that the sexual assault took place on Oct 2, 2018, at Anwar’s residence in Segambut.
The plaintiff claimed that as a result of the incident, he was accused of plotting to bring down Anwar and damage the PKR president's political career, and this affected his health mentally.
He is seeking special, general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Anwar then filed a countersuit.
In his statement of defence, Anwar said the allegations against him were “utterly false and fabricated”.
He claimed the alleged sexual assault could not have happened because he was entertaining family and friends at his Bukit Segambut residence.
At a press conference later, Muhammad Rafique said that his client's lawsuit has been fixed for case management on April 8 before High Court judge Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan.
