The High Court has allowed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s application for five preliminary issues in Muhammed Yusoff Rawther’s civil suit to be determined before the full trial.
Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan said the issues were suitable to be determined first as they could potentially resolve the lawsuit or significantly narrow the scope of the subsequent trial.
Among the issues are whether Yusoff was instructed to personally deliver a speech to Anwar’s residence on Oct 2, 2018, whether he travelled there with Anwar’s former security personnel, and whether a meeting between Yusoff and Anwar took place that day.
The judge ruled that the preliminary issues must be decided through oral evidence, with witnesses subject to cross-examination, rather than solely through affidavits.
The proceedings will be conducted via Zoom and remain open to the press. Yusoff is currently in the United Kingdom and has surrendered his Malaysian passport to the UK authorities while seeking asylum.
Yusoff filed the civil suit in July 2021, alleging that Anwar sexually assaulted him at a residence in Segambut in October 2018. Anwar has denied the allegations and filed a countersuit.
