Kuala Lumpur:The High Court has set June 14, 2027, for the case management of the Malaysian Bar's judicial review application. This application challenges the prosecution's decision to drop the Yayasan Akalbudi corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Judge S. Indra Nehru made this decision after being informed by Abhilaash Subramaniam, the Malaysian Bar's lawyer, that Ahmad Zahid and the Attorney-General (AG) had received permission from the Federal Court on October 8 to appeal a prior Court of Appeal decision. The Malaysian Bar requested that the judicial review hearing be scheduled after the Federal Court appeal concludes.

The court also instructed that the next case management be handled via e-review before a High Court deputy registrar. Abhilaash noted that a date for the substantive appeal hearing has not been set, and preparations might take several months, including compiling appeal records and exchanging written submissions.

Federal counsel Safiyyah Omar, representing the AG, agreed to the proposal, and Ahmad Zahid's lawyer, Datuk Guok Ngek Seong, did not object. The Federal Court panel, led by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hashim Hamzah, allowed Ahmad Zahid and the AG to appeal the Court of Appeal's decision, which had permitted the Malaysian Bar to initiate the judicial review. The panel found that the case presented significant constitutional questions needing clarification.

In its application, the Malaysian Bar seeks a High Court declaration that the earlier decision by then High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah to grant Ahmad Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on 47 charges was invalid. The High Court had granted the discharge after the prosecution indicated an intention to discontinue the case to consider new evidence.