PUTRAJAYA: The Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) has filed an application for a gag order to prevent the public from discussing issues related to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest.
In a brief message to the media, A-GC Civil Division Deputy Head Shamsul Bolhassan said, "It was filed via e-review at 7.45 pm today."
Last Monday, Shamsul made an oral application for the order at the High Court and the A-GC was directed to submit their written application by today.
Shamsul had said the application was made to protect the royal institution as the matter involves sensitive issues regarding the monarchy, religion, and ethnicity (3R).
The A-GC is seeking a gag and prohibitive order to restrain the public from discussing Najib's judicial review seeking to compel Putrajaya to execute an alleged addendum order allowing him to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest.
Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz has fixed March 11 for the next case management.
On Jan 6, a three-bench Court of Appeal panel, in a split decision, allowed the former prime minister to initiate a judicial review to review the existence of an addendum issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The Appellate Court also allowed Najib to adduce additional affidavits to support his application.
Najib is currently serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
The High Court had sentenced him to 12 years in prison with a fine of RM210 million, and the verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal and Federal Court.
However, his prison sentence was halved to six years and his fine was reduced to RM50 million following his petition for a royal pardon on Sept 2, 2022.
Najib later filed an application on an alleged addendum order signed by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The addendum purportedly allowed Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. Previously, the High Court had dismissed his application.