Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Muhamad Asyraf Kamal disclosed this today when asked by judicial commissioner Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh how long the prosecution would take to call its witnesses.

On Oct 6, Shahrir allowed an application by the prosecution to hold proceedings for 11 of the 37 witnesses in camera. So far, four witnesses have been called.

The court had set today until Thursday for continuation of the trial but Asyraf requested for the dates to be vacated and new dates set as his colleague, DPP Muhammad Iskandar Ahmad, who lives in Klang, could not be present following the enforcement of the Covid-19 conditional movement control order (CMCO).

“If the trial takes place without his presence, it will affect the prosecution team as he is the head and all instructions come from him. He also has his own witnesses,” Asyraf said.

He said the CMCO, which is also being enforced in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor, would affect the witnesses as they are required to be in court.

Lawyer Hamdan Hamzah, representing Hasanah, did not object.

Shahrir said it was the responsibility of the court to ensure compliance with the CMCO and would allow the hearing to be postponed.

On Oct 25, 2018, Hasanah, 62, pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing CBT amounting to US$12.1 million in funds when serving as the director-general of the research division.

She was charged with committing the offence between April 30 to May 9, 2018 under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping as well as a fine, if found guilty.