KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has allowed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s application for a pre-trial ruling on several issues in a lawsuit brought by former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther.
Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan ruled that the issues raised in Anwar’s application met the threshold to be determined as preliminary issues.
On March 31, Anwar filed the application under Sections 15 and 15A of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964, stating that determining preliminary issues could dispose of the suit.
The application arises from a civil suit filed by Muhammed Yusoff alleging sexual assault.
Anwar’s application centers on whether former private secretary Shukri Saad instructed Muhammed Yusoff to deliver a speech to his Bukit Segambut Dalam residence on Oct 2, 2018, whether Muhammed Yusoff travelled there with security personnel Norafee Ahmad and if the alleged meeting occurred.
In his decision, Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin allowed the application as there were two events alleged in Muhammed Yusoff’s statement of claim that were “sequential in nature”.
He also said the preliminary issues could not be determined by affidavit; they must be determined at a trial on viva voce evidence, where witnesses will be subject to cross-examination.
The judge then fixed Nov 5 for case management.
