KUALA LUMPUR: The RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial is still on hold, as former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is classified as a Covid-19 casual contact in his MySejahtera app.

       Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah postponed the hearing to Thursday (Dec 16), after being informed by lawyer Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh that Najib’s MySejahtera status was still yellow, indicating that Najib was a casual contact of a Covid-19 case.

       “He is in the car park. As it is, under the casual contact category, he is not allowed to enter court premises,” Hariharan said here on Tuesday (Dec 14).

       Apart from Najib, lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has an orange status on his MySejahtera app, Hariharan said.

       “There is a home surveillance order on Muhammad Shafee as well. The fact is both of them were in contact with Muhammad Shafee’s son, Muhammad Farhan on Dec 6.

       “The 10-day quarantine period will expire on Dec 15,” he added.

       Hariharan suggested for the court to proceed with the hearing on Thursday (Dec 16), which was allowed by Justice Sequerah.

       The court also dismissed an application by the prosecution to conduct a hybrid proceeding as Najib is unable to enter court premises.

       “For now, I have decided against the hybrid proceeding, but I am not ruling it out in the future,” the judge said.

       On Monday (Dec 13), the prosecution applied for the court to allow a hybrid proceeding under Section 15A of the Court of Judicature Act (Amendment) 2020, which would enable the court to conduct a remote proceeding with Najib, who is barred from entering the court complex due to his MySejahtera status.

       Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib made the application, but it was objected by Hariharan on grounds that the defence would not be able to consult their client if they were to attend the proceedings separately virtually due to Najib being under quarantine.

       “It’s just impossible and it will be prejudicial to Najib,” Hariharan had said.

       Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.28bil from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.