Politics · Malaysia Bureau
High Court halts Bar's legal challenge to Zahid's discharge without action
The Federal Court has granted the Attorney General and Umno president leave to appeal against a previous ruling that allowed the Malaysian Bar to pursue judicial review of the decision not to prosecute Zahid Hamidi. A High Court has now suspended the Bar's proceedings pending the outcome of that appeal.
LSN Malaysia ·
A High Court has issued a stay of proceedings in the Malaysian Bar's judicial review case challenging the discharge without action (DNAA) granted to Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, following the Federal Court's decision to allow an appeal by the Attorney General's office and Zahid himself.
The stay effectively halts the Bar's legal action while the higher court considers the AG's and Zahid's appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment that had cleared the path for the Bar to proceed with its judicial review challenge.
The Malaysian Bar had sought to challenge the prosecutorial decision not to proceed with charges against Zahid, arguing the DNAA was improper. The case has become a significant test of judicial oversight of prosecutorial discretion in Malaysia.
The Federal Court's decision to grant leave to appeal and the subsequent High Court stay represent a setback for the Bar's efforts to have the discharge decision reviewed in court. The outcome of the Federal Court appeal will determine whether the Bar's judicial review challenge can ultimately proceed.