Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yin Tinn said the date was fixed today following a case management before High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas.
Poh said the public prosecutor, who is the respondent in the application, had been given until Nov 19 to file an affidavit in reply.
Rosmah, represented by lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent, can respond to the public prosecutor’s affidavit by Nov 26.
The court has maintained Dec 14 as the date for the trial to begin.
Rosmah, 69, who made the application on Nov 2, wants the case to be heard before another High Court judge.
In her application, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak said Zaini was the judge presiding over her on-going corruption case involving the Sarawak solar hybrid project.
On Feb 18, Zaini had ruled that the prosecution had made out a prima facie case against Rosmah and ordered her to enter her defence in the corruption case, which will resume on Dec 8.
She claimed that statements and exhibits tendered before the court in the solar project case could directly or indirectly influence Zaini if he also presided over the money laundering case.
“The applicant’s right to a fair trial is protected as a fundamental right under the Federal Constitution and that right will be severely prejudiced and pointless if the judge hears this case,” she said in the application.
Rosmah is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failure to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang here, between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN at Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here, between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.
The charges of money laundering were framed under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, and punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law, which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of unlawful activity, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The charges for tax evasion, made under Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967, said that Rosmah had failed to furnish returns of her income for the assessment years 2013 to 2017 to the LHDN director-general on or before April 30, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 without reasonable excuse, contrary to Section 112 of the law.