Rafique, who is appearing for Yusoff, said Justice Johan Lee would be transferred to the High Court in Alor Setar effective next month.

“The judge said he was looking forward to hearing the case and disposing of it expeditiously. He had attempted to bring forward the trial dates,” Rafique told FMT after a case management today.

Last year, Johan fixed June 16 to 19 and June 23 to 25 for the hearing.

Lawyer Navpreet Singh, who appeared for Anwar, said the trial could not be expedited as counsel for the parties did not have common free dates.

“However, almost all trial documentation has been submitted in court,” he said.

Yusoff filed the suit against Anwar in 2021, claiming that he had been sexually assaulted at the PKR president’s home in Segambut in October 2018.

Yusoff, the grandson of the late Penang consumer advocate SM Mohamed Idris, sought, among others, special, general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Yusoff alleged that following the incident, he was accused of plotting against Anwar to damage his political career. He also said the accusations had affected his mental health.

Anwar denied the claim and filed a countersuit.

Yusoff was placed under remand at Sungai Buloh prison after he was charged with trafficking 305g of cannabis in a vehicle in front of the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters’ surau at 10.15am on Sept 6 last year.

Bail is disallowed for such an offence.

He was also charged with possessing two replica pistols near a condominium at Jalan Bukit Kiara at 9.25am on Sept 6.