KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 10): The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-Tanore proceedings have been postponed for two days, as former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been hospitalised due to acute knee inflammation.

Senior orthopaedic consultant with Hospital Kuala Lumpur Dr Siti Hawa Tahir told the court that Najib, 71, was experiencing acute pain in the right knee due to inflammation.

Briefing the court on Tuesday, the doctor with 31 years’ experience said that they had been treating Najib's left knee for issues over the past few years. However, the recent pain in his right knee had not been investigated.

She said that Najib was unfit to attend proceedings as he was prescribed opioids, for which side effects include drowsiness. She said that the medications had an impact on his mental capacity, and he might not be fully alert.

As to when the ex-PM could come back to court, she said that she would not be able to give a precise answer, as the impact of the medication varied from patient to patient. She had given Najib a two-day medical certificate.

Parties are currently in the midst of submissions at the end of the prosecution stage. Last week, presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah said the cut-off point for submissions is the end of the month.

Following the latest development on Tuesday, Sequerah said that the cut-off date would now be Oct 4. He then said that he had read and re-read the submissions, so the parties would not have to submit further. He would give a date to deliver his decision at the end of the prosecution's case — on whether Najib has to enter his defence or walks free.

"[Even if the] parties haven't completed [their submissions], as I said, I have read and am re-reading the submissions. It is not necessary to carry on further. I will give a date to deliver my decision," he told the parties.

Proceedings are slated to resume on Thursday.