IPOH, Dec 21 — The High Court here today set nine days beginning March 30 next year to hear the case of Perak lawmaker Paul Yong Choo Kiong, who is charged with raping an Indonesian maid.

High Court Judge Datuk Hashim Hamzah said the case will be heard on March 30 to April 2 and will continue from April 5 to 9 next year, during the case management today.

Deputy public prosecutor Ainul Wardah Shahidan prosecuted while Yong’s defence team was led by lawyer Datuk Rajpal Singh.

When Rajpal raised the issue on the method of evidence, Justice Hashim said any preliminary objection will be heard on the first day of trial.

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“It’s too early to raise any objections. We need to fix the trial dates first as the case has been prolonged.

“Other issues, I will hear on the first day of trial,” he said.

The prosecution team is expected to call  20 witnesses for the trial, including the victim, while the defence team is expected to call three witnesses.

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Ainul requested the court for an Indonesian interpreter with the Sumbawa dialect for the trial.

Lawyer Azura Alias held a watching brief for the Indonesian Embassy and the victim.

On December 15, a three-member panel of the Federal Court chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat had allowed Yong’s appeal for his case to be transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

When met by reporters, Ainul said there is an issue that has not been agreed upon and decided by the defence team on the method of giving evidence in the case, involving the second witness.

“On the method of giving evidence, the defence team is objecting to allowing the second witness to testify on camera in a closed court.

“They have agreed to allow the first witness, which is the victim herself, to testify on camera, but not the second witness, who is also on the Witness Protection Act,” she said.

Rajpal said that the identities of the witnesses had been disclosed and there is no need for the second witness to be protected under the Witness Protection Act.

“We oppose the using of the Act for the second witness.

“Also on the last hearing the prosecution team have said that they are going to use Section 265 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code Act 593 on the manner of recording evidence.

“There is evidence to video link. The defence can’t even see the witness, only the judge will address the witness. This is a total injustice to the case, he said.

“The Act has never been applied in sexual offences cases, so why is it being used now in this case,” he asked.

On August 23 last year, Yong, 50, a former Perak exco for housing and local government, public transport, non-Muslim affairs and new villages, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Ipoh to the charge of raping his 23-year-old Indonesian maid.

Yong, who is also Tronoh assemblyman, is accused of committing the offence at his house in Meru Desa Park on July 7, last year between 8.15pm and 9.15pm.