PM Anwar Granted Temporary Stay in Yusoff Rawther Suit

The Court of Appeal in Malaysia has allowed an application by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to temporarily stay the hearing of a lawsuit filed by his former research assistant, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, over allegations of sexual harassment.

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PUTRAJAYA -

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel chaired by Justice Supang Lian on June 10 said the appellate court was empowered under Section 44 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 to make an interim order to preserve the integrity of Datuk Seri Anwar's stay application pending the disposal of his appeal against the High Court's decision that dismissed his application to refer eight legal questions to the Federal Court.

"Accordingly, we hereby make an interim order to stay all proceedings, including the full trial at the High Court," Justice Supang said in online proceedings.

The hearing of the main lawsuit by Mr. Yusoff was initially fixed to begin on June 16.

Other judges on the bench were Justices Faizah Jamaludin and Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin.

Earlier, the panel heard from Mr. Anwar's counsel, Mr. Alan Wong, that if the full trial proceeds, the effects would be "irreversible".

"The constitutional issues raised (in the application) would have been overtaken by events," he said.