Pua’s lawyer, Tan Cheng Leong, said Justice Ahmad Shahrir Salleh has fixed another case management on Nov 8 for the parties to update him on the progress of the criminal case.

“The civil proceedings will remain suspended until the conclusion of Najib’s criminal trial,” Tan told FMT.

Counsel Norhazira Abu Haiyan appeared for Najib.

In 2020, Najib secured a stay of proceedings in the civil case.

Pua had brought the action against Najib and the government on Jan 16, 2017 for damages in respect of alleged misfeasance in public office in relation to 1MDB affairs.

He claimed that Najib, who was a public officer, had in his capacity as Pekan MP, then prime minister and chairman of the 1MDB board of advisers, direct and indirect roles in the decisions and direction of the state-owned company.

On Nov 19, 2019, the Federal Court, in a landmark ruling, decreed that the former prime minister was a public officer and could be sued for allegedly abusing his powers while in office, setting aside the rulings of the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Justice Nallini Pathmanathan, who delivered the verdict of the five-member bench, said the suit brought against Najib over 1MDB appeared to contain the necessary elements to constitute a valid claim.

“Whether or not he (Pua) will succeed at trial is a question of evidence, particularly in relation to the alleged damage he suffered,” she had said.

Najib is facing 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power charges over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The criminal trial commenced on Aug 28, 2019. To date, 44 witnesses have testified for the prosecution.