The new date was fixed during case management today before the court’s senior assistant registrar, Huda Humaira Idris.

On Nov 28, the registry set Jan 31 to deliver the verdict.

When contacted by FMT, deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz said the decision date was deferred as one of the judges on the panel that heard the appeal is on medical leave.

Lawyer Siti Sarah Khalil appeared for Isa, 73.

Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera led the bench which heard submissions from Isa’s defence team and the prosecution on Oct 16.

The others were Justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and SM Komathy Suppiah.

On Feb 3, 2021, Justice Nazlan Ghazali (now a Court of Appeal judge) convicted Isa on nine corruption charges for accepting RM3.09 million in kickbacks to secure approval for Felda’s purchase of a hotel in Kuching.

Isa, a Negeri Sembilan menteri besar for 22 years from 1982 to 2004, was sentenced to six years in prison and fined RM15.4 million.

He was found to have committed the offences on the 49th floor of Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No 11, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur between July 21, 2014, and Dec 11, 2015.

Nazlan handed down a sentence of six years for each offence, giving rise to a cumulative jail term of 54 years, and fined Isa RM15.45 million or another 18 years’ imprisonment if the fine was not paid.

The High Court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, which means Isa will serve six years in jail.

He is free on bail of RM1.5 million but is required to report to the nearest police station on the first day of every month until the appeal is disposed.