Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court June 15, 2022. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
By Ida Lim
Thursday, 16 Jun 2022 11:50 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — High Court judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh today voluntarily recused himself from hearing London-based Queen’s Counsel, Jonathan Laidlaw’s application to be allowed to practise here in order to lead Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s defence in a final criminal appeal.
While no objection was raised against him hearing the case, Wan Ahmad Farid said he was removing himself to avoid any unnecessary criticism against the judiciary, due to his past role as a politician and because a family member was a division leader in Najib’s Umno party.
“For the reasons aforesaid, although there was no request made by any of the parties herein, I am recusing myself from hearing this originating motion,” he said today during a case management for the application.
Laidlaw filed an application on May 31 at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to be admitted under Section 18(1) to practise in Malaysia as Najib wants to hire him for the final SRC appeal at the Federal Court, claiming to “possess special qualifications, experience and expertise which is not available” among lawyers in Malaysia.
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