KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): The High Court here on Wednesday has allowed Datuk Seri Najib Razak's application to bar the media from covering his judicial review leave application where he sought to be placed under house arrest for the duration of his jail sentence.

This follows Najib's solicitors Shafee & Co writing in to court to ask the matter be heard privately.

Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib's lead counsel, asked Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh that due to the sensitive matter of the subject, he is asking that the matter be declared a chambers matter and the media is not allowed to report the proceedings.

Following this, Amarjeet allowed Shafee's request.

Najib is among others seeking leave for an order that he be placed under house arrest for the duration of his six years’ jail sentence, which was coupled with a RM50 million fine, after being found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

A royal pardon in January had reduced his sentence from the original 12 years and RM210 million fine for the offence.

Besides this, Najib is also seeking a mandamus order for the addendum order purportedly containing the order by the 16th Yang di Pertuan Agong dated last Jan 29 to be produced before him and for it to be implemented.

Najib had named the federal territories minister, the FT Pardons Board, home minister, attorney general, the Prisons Department commissioner general, the government, and minister in the Prime Minister's Department (law and institutional reform) as respondents.

Prior to this, Shafee has indicated to court that a critical witness would affirm the affidavit in support of the application.

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