Malaysia's top court to hear Anwar's immunity bid in sexual harassment case
Anwar is facing a civil suit filed by his former research aide, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who has accused him of sexual assault at his private residence in 2018, when he was the opposition leader. Anwar has denied the allegations.
The trial was initially scheduled to begin in mid-June, but a three-member bench agreed it should be deferred to give Anwar sufficient time to seek clarification from the Federal Court on the scope of legal protections afforded to a serving prime minister.
Anwar's lawyers have argued that the prime minister is 'simply asserting his right to raise constitutional questions of public importance' and is not attempting to avoid trial.
The questions include whether a sitting prime minister should be granted protection from politically motivated suits aimed at undermining the government, and whether civil suits involving conduct before a leader taking office should be subject to safeguards.
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