KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — The date for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s trial for alleged criminal breach of trust and abuse of power has not been fixed, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) clarified today.

It said the Kuala Lumpur High Court did not fix any trial dates yesterday when Najib was charged.

“The High Court actually only indicated, based on the calendar of the learned High Court Judge, when the possible free dates for trial could be.

“The High Court made it clear that the trial dates would only be fixed after the next mention date in court, which is on August 8, 2018,” it said in a statement posted on Twitter today.

In clearing up several misconceptions following yesterday’s case, it also explained that it is rare for trial dates to be fixed on the same day an accused is charged.

“Secondly, trial dates in complex and document-heavy white-collar crimes are rarely fixed on the date of the charge, which represents the first appearance by the parties in Court, and the prosecution is not expected to serve documents on that day also.

“The relevant documents will be served on the Defence before commencement of trial,” it said.

“The Prosecution Team intends to apply to the High Court on August 8, 2018 for trial dates to be fixed in November this year,” it said.

Najib yesterday pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal breach of trust as a public servant and one count of abusing his position for self-gratification of RM42 million of funds belonging to a former 1Malaysia Development Berhad unit, SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Yesterday, Najib’s lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had questioned the prosecution’s readiness to prosecute his client, claiming that the prosecutors had not given documents that would allow for the defence team to prepare Najib’s defence.

As for the “gag order”, which the High Court issued after Najib’s defence lawyer orally applied for it, the AGC said today that the prosecution team had “vigorously opposed” it and noted that it was “only interim in nature”.

The AGC said the court has fixed August 8 for the hearing of the defence’s expected formal written application for a gag order that will be supported with affidavits stating the “exact nature and extent” of the gag order.

“The Prosecution Team will oppose that application,” it said today.