PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has withdrawn his appeal against a High Court decision refusing to refer eight constitutional questions on prime ministerial immunity to the Federal Court, the New Straits Times reported.
The appeal was linked to a sexual assault lawsuit filed four years ago by his former researcher Muhammed Yusoff Rawther.
A three-member Court of Appeal panel led by Datuk Wong Kian Kheong ordered the Tambun Member of Parliament to pay RM50,000 in costs to Muhammed Yusoff.
The court directed that the payment be made on or before April 16.
Other members of the bench were Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar.
Anwar had filed the appeal after the High Court dismissed his application under Section 84 of the Courts of Judicature Act, ruling that the proposed questions did not meet the statutory threshold for referral to the apex court.
His lawyer Sanjay Mohan informed the court that he had been instructed by his client to withdraw the appeal, without stating the reason.
Lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, who represented Muhammed Yusoff, opposed a lower cost proposed by the appellant and sought RM150,000, citing delays and the use of judicial time before the court fixed costs at RM50,000.