KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has clarified that his attempt to refer eight constitutional questions to the Federal Court was not an effort to claim personal immunity, but a matter of defending the country’s constitutional order and the sanctity of high public office.
Responding to the High Court’s dismissal of his application earlier today, Anwar issued a statement stressing that the legal move was never intended to avoid scrutiny in the civil suit filed by his former research assistant, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther.
“This matter has never been about seeking personal immunity or escaping legal scrutiny. It concerns the integrity of our constitutional system and the need to ensure that high public office is protected from litigation that may be strategically timed, politically motivated, or institutionally disruptive,” he said in a statement today.
Anwar reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, stating that the legal proceedings would carry on while he remains focused on his duties as Prime Minister.
“I remain fully committed to the rule of law, the independence of our courts, and the dignity of democratic governance. The legal process will continue, and I will continue to discharge my responsibilities without distraction or compromise,” he added.
Earlier, the High Court dismissed Anwar’s application to refer eight constitutional questions to the Federal Court, which were linked to a civil suit filed by Yusoff alleging sexual assault in an incident that allegedly occurred seven years ago.
Judge Roz Mawar Rozain ruled that the questions raised did not meet the necessary threshold under Article 128(2) of the Federal Constitution or Section 84 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964, as they did not give rise to any substantial constitutional issue.
Anwar’s lawyer, Datuk Seri Rajasegaran Krishnan, has said they will be filing an immediate appeal against the decision and will also seek a stay of trial proceedings, which are scheduled to begin on June 16.
The suit was filed in 2021, prior to Anwar’s appointment as Prime Minister in November 2022. — June 4, 2025