KUALA LUMPUR: Former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saadudin has filed a notice to discontinue her appeal in her lawsuit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and a second party over the RM2.6 billion donation issue.
Najib's lead counsel, Datuk Hafarizam Harun, today confirmed that Anina filed the notice to discontinue her appeal at the Court of Appeal this month.
Previously, she was appealing the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision that struck out her lawsuit against Najib, who is also Umno president, and party executive-secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh.
However, during a press conference on Aug 24, Anina announced her withdrawal of all lawsuits filed in her capacity as Umno member, including the one against Najib and Rauf.
She is now a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
Through text messages, Hafarizam said Anina has also agreed to bear the RM5,000 in legal costs.
On Dec 31, the High Court allowed an application by Najib and Rauf to strike out Anina's suit on grounds that she had lost the legal capacity to initiate legal action when she lost her party membership.
Article 20.7 of the party's constitution states that an Umno member would automatically lose party membership if he or she filed legal action over party matters. Anina filed the suit on Aug 28 last year.
Anina, 40, had sued Najib and Rauf, purportedly in order to recover a portion of the RM2.6 billion donation.
She claimed that part of the money was deposited in Najib's personal bank account in Singapore, and sought its return, supposedly on behalf of Umno.