Anwar faces allegations that he has sexually assaulted a former aide, as the case threatens to dredge up past sex scandals that hounded him for years while he was in opposition.
A high court in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday threw out Anwar’s attempt to invoke legal immunity as prime minister against the suit filed by Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, ruling there were no constitutional provisions for such privileges. The trial for the case is scheduled to begin on June 16.
In accepting the ruling, Anwar said on Wednesday his application was “never about seeking personal immunity or escaping legal scrutiny”.
Anwar’s reputation has taken a beating in recent weeks.