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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's RM2.28 billion (S$436.5 million) 1Malaysia Development Derhad (1MDB) corruption trial was postponed due to a bout of diarrhoea.

According to MalaysiaKini, the hearing for the trial was supposed to take place on May 9 and 10.

Two days of medical leave

A medical officer from Kajang Prison Mohd Hafiz Mohd Hoshni told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that Najib was given two days of medical leave from Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).

An assistant medical officer had informed Hafiz that the former prime minister was suffering from stomach ache and diarrhoea since May 8.

“Around 7.30am, I examined him (Najib). I asked him what was the issue and he said he had a stomach ache and went to the toilet to defecate four times," Hafiz said, as quoted by MalaysiaKini.

“Then I gave him charcoal (tablets) and after 10 minutes, he said he was still feeling the same. Then I examined him further and found he had mild dehydration and a slight fever with a temperature of 37.8 degrees,” he added.

Najib was then brought to HKL for further examination between 9:30am and 10am on May 9.

Answering defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's question, Hafiz said he referred Najib to HKL so that the former prime minister has access to better treatment from specialists there.

Hafiz said Najib looked “tired, lethargic and dehydrated".

Najib was given drips and was said to not be able to stand or sit for too long.

He was deemed unfit to attend the trial due to his condition.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who is overseeing the corruption trial postponed the trial and directed for proceedings to be resumed on Thursday (May 11).

Background

Najib is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after losing his final appeal for corruption charges related to the 1MDB scandal.

1MDB was a state fund Najib founded in 2009 during his term as prime minister. He served as a chairperson of the 1MDB's board of advisors.

1MDB was created to promote economic development in Malaysia through global partnerships and foreign direct investment and was meant to be used to improve the well-being of the Malaysian people.

According to the United States Department of Justice, more than US$4.5 billion (S$6 billion) of 1MDB funds were misappropriated between 2009 to 2015.

Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion (S$677 million) from 1MDB.

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Top image via Najib Razak/Facebook.