KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The High Court today rejected a stay application from ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his son for bankruptcy proceedings against them over RM1.7 billion in tax arrears.

According to Malaysiakini, lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee said Najib and his son, Datuk Nazifuddin Najib, had applied for the stay as they were appealing the tax assessments against them.

"We will appeal,” Farhan added over today’s decision.

Previously, two separate High Courts allowed the Inland Revenue Department’s (LHDN) applications to enter summary judgments to recover tax arrears of RM1.69 billion from Najib and RM37.6 million from Najib and Nazifuddin, respectively, for the period between 2011 and 2017.

The department then launched bankruptcy proceedings against both.

In October last year, Najib and Nazifudin lost their final appeal after the Federal Court upheld the rulings against them.