AS AN online petition to strip him off his slew of Datukships with immediate effect is gaining momentum, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has poured cold water on prospect of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak getting a transfer to the National Heart Institute (IJN) later today for further treatment.
Prisoners – regardless of their social status – shall only receive treatments at government hospitals, according to Khairy.
Khairy emphasised that Najib is in stable condition and will remain in HKL despite rumours that he might be transferred to IJN.
However, the Pekan MP will undergo another round of tests following claims that he was suffering from stomach ulcers yesterday (Sept 12) and high blood pressure (today).
“Najib appears to be in a satisfactory condition to be sent back, and his doctors are ordering additional tests to clarify his condition,” Khairy pointed out, stressing that the former PM was being given the best possible treatment.
“No (prison) inmate will be denied their fundamental right in terms of access to healthcare and this includes DS Najib,” Khairy further assured.
Earlier today, Najib’s 1MDB trial was postponed yet again to enable the Pekan MP to be admitted to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital (HKL) due to “fluctuating blood pressure”.
This was when Najib’s legal counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah mentioned the likelihood of Najib being transferred to IJN.
“DS Najib has been taken ill, and he is currently warded at HKL since yesterday. I’m told as of this morning at 7.30am and 9.30am, the likelihood of certain tests performed on him may take a few more days. Definitely, today is off, Yang Arif. Definitely, he cannot come, and I think certainly tomorrow as well,” Shafee was cited by Bernama as he informed his client’s condition to Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
“There is a possibility, in fact a certainty, there’s going to be a transfer from HKL to IJN.”
Nevertheless, High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered the court to convene tomorrow (Sept 14) at 2.30pm to get an update on Najib’s condition before proceeding with any further ruling.
Yesterday (Sept 12), Najib’s trial was cut to half day after senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who is leading the prosecution team, told the court that by 2pm Najib has to be taken to hospital for medical attention as the high blood pressure medication he was taking was giving him adverse effects.
He told Judge Sequerah that he was informed by a Kajang Prison officer that Najib’s condition was “quite bad”.
In a statement yesterday, Health director-general (DG) Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah denied that Najib was seriously ill. He said Najib was admitted to the HKL on Friday (Sept 9) as an elective case to ensure that his health is in “good and optimum condition”.
Following this, screening and tests were conducted by senior experts who are heads of their respective clinics while the HKL management also held a family conference twice with Najib and his family members. – Sept 13, 2022
