Saman 1MDB terhadap firma UK ditolak kerana bidang kuasa, had masa

The Malaysian High Court's appellate court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the UK law firm White & Case against the Malaysian state investment fund 1MDB, citing jurisdictional issues. The decision was handed down by a three-judge panel led by Judge K Muniandy, who ruled that the High Court lacked the authority to hear the suit over alleged fraud and conspiracy involving PetroSaudi International Ltd.

Judge Muniandy also upheld White & Case's request to ignore a court summons, noting that the foreign defendant, Patrick Mahony, could not serve as the main defendant to order proceedings outside Malaysia's jurisdiction. The lawsuit, filed in 2024, was served outside the statute of limitations under the Limitation Act 1953, as the fraudulent activities related to the 1MDB fund had already been disclosed to the public in 2015 and 2016.

Under the Limitation Act, a plaintiff generally must initiate proceedings within six years of the cause of action arising. The High Court also refused to join White & Case's claim against Deutsche Bank, which involved $1.11 billion in damages, as the request was viewed as an attempt to circumvent jurisdictional considerations. Judge Alwi Abdul Wahab, a panel member, noted that 1MDB's efforts to revive the jurisdictional challenge appeared to be a tactical move to avoid the jurisdictional limitation.