This is to make way for the completion of two criminal cases involving the former prime minister.

High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin fixed the trial dates after allowing Najib’s counsel, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, to clear all trial dates set for next year before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

“Najib is facing two trials, namely for 1MDB and audit report tampering before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah and judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan respectively,” he said.

“The hearing of this case is expected to commence on Nov 9. Najib is now on trial for 1MDB and the trial dates have been set until June next year.”

Jamil fixed the new hearing for 32 days on every working day in September and October 2021, except Friday.

“The application of the first accused’s (Najib) counsel to vacate all trial dates before the Nov 9 trial is allowed to give way to hearing criminal cases involving the accused,” Jamil said.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad told the court that the prosecution was expected to call 50 witnesses for the trial.

Saiful also said the case had been transferred from High Court 3 (judge Nazlan) to be heard before judge Jamil.

“The case was transferred as instructed via a letter received by the prosecution from the High Court deputy registrar on Oct 7 following administrative issues,” he said.

The court also fixed Jan 6 next year for case management for parties to announce any new developments in the two cases.

Najib was exempted from today’s proceedings as he is still undergoing a 14-day self-quarantine after returning from Sabah while Irwan, who was represented by counsel K Kumaraendran, was present in court.

When met by reporters after the proceedings, Saiful said the witnesses for the criminal breach of trust case involved almost the same ones as the 1MDB case.

On Oct 24, 2018, Najib, 67, and Irwan, 63, pleaded not guilty to six charges of criminal breach of trust when the case was mentioned at the Sessions Court.