IF MALAYSIAN YOUTHS HAVE NO RIGHT TO SUE NAJIB TO STOP HIM FROM RAPING THE NATION’S COFFERS, WHO HAS?

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today raised the issues of locus standi (legal standing) and jurisdiction on the suit filed by youth leaders from Pakatan Harapan in relation to 1MDB’s settlement payment of US$1.2 billion to International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

Najib’s lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that the plaintiffs who are said to be bringing the class action have not shown they have suffered damages following the arbitration.

“They are not parties in the arbitration and hence they are not affected,” he added.

On the issue of jurisdiction, Hafarizam said Najib asked whether the High Court here can hear a matter concerning an international arbitration which took place in London.

“The Malaysian courts do not have the jurisdiction to hear this suit,” he argued.

The Umno-linked lawyer also claimed that the 10 plaintiffs were wrong to cite Najib as a defendant in the suit as he was not involved in the deal concerning IPIC and Aabar Investments PJS Ltd.

Najib is seeking to strike out the suit filed in July last year by the youth movement going by the name Gerakan Anak Muda Tolak Najib (GANT1). The other defendants, the government and 1MDB, are also applying to strike out the suit.

– M’kini