The Sessions Court in Ipoh, Perak has set March 19 to make a decision on Perak executive council member Paul Yong Choo Kiong's application for a stay of proceedings for his rape trial to allow an appeal to be heard at the Federal Court first.

Yong's application to transfer his case from the Sessions Court to the High Court was dismissed in December last year.

Last month the Court of Appeal also dismissed Yong's appeal to transfer the case to the High Court and thus an appeal application has been made at the Federal Court.

In August last year, Yong claimed trial to raping his former 23-year-old Indonesian maid at his house.