Liza Chan Sow Keng made the decision when SRC International’s lawsuit came up for online case management today. She is a former lawyer and was made a judicial commissioner in July 2020.

Chan told the parties in the lawsuit that she knew the former prime minister and that she should recuse herself from hearing the case to avoid any suspicion or accusation of bias or partiality.

The court will fix a new case management date before another judge.

Last month, SRC International filed the lawsuit against Najib and former directors Suboh Md Yassin, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Mohammed Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Ismee Ismail and Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar.

The government-owned company alleged that Najib and the former directors conspired and committed breach of trust over its funds. It also claimed that Najib abused his power and obtained personal benefits from SRC funds.

SRC International alleged that the former directors failed to monitor the disposal of RM3.6 billion to SRC BVI (proposed investment fund) allegedly for SRC to undertake investment activities in the energy resource sector overseas.

The finance ministry recently said that 1MDB and SRC International, its former unit, had filed a total of 22 civil lawsuits to recover assets worth more than RM96.6 billion, including about RM300 million from various local parties.

Najib, who was found guilty of abuse of power for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International funds, is awaiting a decision on his appeal against his conviction and sentence.