Lawyer Salim Bashir said court deputy registrar Nur Laila Nazil set aside Jan 13, 14, 21, and 22 to record the testimonies of a Jakarta-based lawyer who met the victim and interviewed her.

“The other is a notary public who affirmed the victim’s statement,” he told FMT after case management before Laila.

He added that the dates would be subject to the confirmation of the judge who was on leave today.

Perak prosecution director Zaki Abdul Kudos appeared for the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Salim, who is appearing for Yong together with counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, said the prosecution would also be allowed to cross-examine the two witnesses.

“We will make submissions for the High Court judge to give his opinion for the Federal Court’s consideration,” he said.

Yong is seeking to include documents related to a recent confession allegedly made by his former maid, the victim in the case.

He claims that the confession, purportedly made in May, involves the woman expressing regret for making a “false statement” during his trial.

The maid, who had been working at Yong’s house since 2019, is alleged to have claimed that she made the false statement as she wanted to leave her job before the expiry of her contract in 2022.

She also said she had sought her lawyer’s advice and wished to retract what she had said in court.

On Nov 12, a three-member Federal Court bench chaired by Justice Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal allowed Yong’s application to adduce the documents as they were important to his appeal.

Harmindar also ordered the Ipoh High Court to obtain evidence and testimony from the witnesses in connection with the documents.

Yong was found guilty by the Ipoh High Court on July 27, 2022 of raping the woman. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison and ordered to be whipped twice.

On March 1 this year, a Court of Appeal panel upheld his conviction in a 2-1 majority but reduced his jail sentence to eight years.