High Court halts Bar's legal challenge to Zahid's discharge not amounting to acquittal

KUALA LUMPUR — The High Court has issued an interim stay of proceedings on the Malaysian Bar's judicial review challenge to the controversial discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) granted to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as the Bar pursues its appeal at the Federal Court.

The stay was granted as the Bar's legal team prepares to escalate its case to Malaysia's highest court, challenging the validity of the DNAA decision made by former Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun in 2023. The Bar has argued that the decision lacked transparency and potentially violated constitutional principles.

The DNAA, granted in relation to Najib's involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, allowed the former premier to be discharged from prosecution without conviction or acquittal—a legal outcome that drew significant public and institutional scrutiny.

The Bar's judicial review challenge represents one of several legal battles concerning the DNAA decision. Legal experts have noted the complexity of the matter, which touches on prosecutorial discretion, accountability, and the rule of law in Malaysia.

With the High Court's interim stay now in place, attention will shift to whether the Federal Court accepts the Bar's appeal for full consideration of the judicial review application.