Appeals court clears path for lawyer to challenge asset seizure

PUTRAJAYA — The Court of Appeal granted lawyer Rosli Dahlan permission on Tuesday to commence judicial review proceedings against police and prosecution authorities over the seizure of four ASNB accounts.

The appellate court's decision to grant leave means Rosli has cleared a procedural hurdle and may now proceed with challenging the legality and validity of the asset seizure in a substantive hearing.

Judicial review proceedings allow individuals to challenge administrative decisions and actions by government bodies on grounds such as procedural irregularity or abuse of authority. The grant of leave indicates the court found sufficient merit in Rosli's application to warrant a full examination of the case.

The case centres on whether the seizure of the four ASNB accounts — which hold unit trust investments — was conducted in accordance with applicable laws and proper procedure. Asset seizures by law enforcement agencies in Malaysia are subject to judicial oversight to safeguard property rights.

The matter now proceeds to the next stage of judicial review proceedings, where both the applicant and respondent authorities will present detailed arguments before the court determines whether the seizure should be upheld or set aside.