KUALA LUMPUR (May 3): Sapura Energy Bhd has filed an appeal to the High Court over the Sessions Court’s decision last month, which allowed Economy Minister Mohd Rafizi Ramli to obtain documents related to the remuneration and incentive package paid by the company to its former chief executive officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin.

Sapura Energy filed the notice of appeal dated April 25, against the overall decision by Sessions Court judge Lailatul Zuraida Harron @ Haron on April 14 to allow the third-party discovery application by Rafizi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Pandan.

The company took the legal action after Lailatul Zuraida fixed May 15 for parties to update the court on their adherence to her decision.

The notice of appeal by Sapura Energy — which is an aggrieved party in the proceedings — was filed through Messrs Rahmat, Lim and Partners.

Rafizi is facing a defamation suit from Shahril over statements he made that were published in three articles via his social media accounts in reaction to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak asking the government to save Sapura Energy by injecting more funds into the ailing oil and gas group.

The PKR deputy president had opposed Najib's view of further bailing out Sapura Energy, claiming that public funds should not be used to protect the elite.

In his defence to the suit, Rafizi claimed that he was justified in raising the matter, and that Shahril's remuneration when he served as the CEO did not commensurate with Sapura Energy's financial performance.

The appeal came up for case management before High Court senior assistant registrar Idamasliza Maarof on Wednesday (May 3).