PUTRAJAYA, 21 May 2009: The Federal Court here set 30 July to hear Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s case to challenge the constitutionality of his sacking from the cabinet in 1998 by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The case was initially fixed for hearing today before a three member panel comprising Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff and Federal Court judges Datuk Hashim Yusoff and Datuk Wira Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff.
A Federal Court registry official said the case was rescheduled for tomorrow, but postponed to 30 July, as counsel Karpal Singh, representing Anwar, was not free tomorrow.
The apex court on 16 June last year had granted leave to Anwar to appeal against a High Court’s ruling that his dismissal as deputy prime minister and finance minister was lawfully executed by Mahathir.
It ruled that the Prime Minister had the power to dismiss any Minister in the cabinet and that he could at any time advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who is bound to act on his advice.
The High Court had on 23 Dec 1998, struck out Anwar’s civil action for an order that his dismissal from the cabinet on 2 Sept 1998 was unlawful.
Anwar also failed to reverse the High Court’s decision after the Court of Appeal, on 25 April 2007, rejected his appeal and affirm the High Court’s decision.
Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaluddin Md Said represented Mahathir. — Bernama
