The Court of Appeal has allowed him a stay on testifying in his trial against PAS-owned newspaper Harakah Daily that was due to start next Thursday.

Najib’s lawyer, Emelia Iszeham, said the appeals court led by Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and comprising Justices Ahmadi Asnawi and Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, granted the stay on suspending the proceedings at the High Court pending the disposal of two appeals from him. Najib wants to amend his statement of claim and obtain a summary judgment.

“The newspaper, represented by Mohd Faizi Che Abu, has no objection to staying the High Court proceedings,” she said.

The High Court, on April 7 and May 23, had dismissed Najib application to amend his statement of claim by inserting statements from the Attorney-General (AG) and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding 1MDB. He also wanted a judgment without full trial.

Najib is suing Harakah Daily and the editors, Rosli Yaakop and Taufek Yahya, for allegedly accusing him in an article “Dana 1MDB biayai syarikat filem Riza Aziz”, published on Feb 19, 2015, of abusing the 1MDB funds.

He claimed that the article had tarnished and affected his reputation.

He is seeking general, aggravated and special damages as well as a written apology from Harakah.