Najib’s counsel, Wee Yeong Kang, told reporters the application had been fixed for hearing today, but had to be vacated because of the total lockdown.

“The hearing of the appeal has been rescheduled to Aug 11,” he said after case management held virtually before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mariam Hasanah Othman.

Senior revenue counsel Al-Hummidallah Idrus acted for LHDN.

On July 22 last year, the High Court ruled that Najib had to pay LHDN RM1.69 billion in additional tax and penalties for the assessment years from 2011 to 2017 after allowing its application to enter a summary judgment against him.

A summary judgment is when the court decides on a particular case without calling witnesses to testify in a trial.

Pursuant to Section 103 (2) of the Income Tax Act 1967, a person ordered to pay the assessment has to settle the payment with LHDN even if an appeal has been filed.

On Feb 4, the government, through LHDN, filed a bankruptcy notice against Najib for failing to pay the RM1.69 billion as ordered by the High Court.

On Monday, the High Court dismissed Najib’s application for a stay of execution of its order for him to pay the tax arrears to LHDN.

Najib then filed an appeal against the High Court’s decision in the Court of Appeal.