Najib’s bid to strike out RM200m suit by Hindraf leaders to be heard on March 24

(Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — The High Court will hear on March 24, an application by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and five others to strike out a RM200 million suit filed by former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees M. Manoharan and P. Uthayakumar.

The application will be heard before High Court Judicial Commissioner Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal.

Harmindar set the date in chambers, upon meeting Manoharan who was representing himself and Uthayakumar, and Senior Federal Counsel Diar Isda Yazmin Ismail appearing for the defendants.

Speaking to reporters, Manoharan said Harmindar would hear the matter as another judicial commissioner, Dr Prasad Sandosham Abraham, who was initially scheduled to hear the case, had recused himself from hearing the matter on the grounds that he was Najib’s classmate.

Manoharan also said that the court had ordered the parties to file written submissions before the striking out the hearing.

In the striking-out application, Najib and the five other defendants said the suit filed by Manoharan and Uthayakumar on Dec 9, last year was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process.

In the suit, Manoharan and Uthayakumar named Najib, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, the Taiping detention centre superintendent and the Government as defendants.

They are seeking RM100 million each in damages, an annual interest of eight per cent be awarded on grounds that they had been wrongfully detained for 514 days from Dec 13, 2007 to May 9, 2009. — Bernama