Former Malaysian king wanted to grant Najib full pardon, says jailed ex-PM’s lawyer as UMNO seeks his release
Mr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah claimed that members of the Pardons Board recommended that the former prime minister continue serving his sentence.
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SINGAPORE: The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is committed to securing the release of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak amid claims from his lawyer that the previous king had thought about granting the convicted criminal a full pardon.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Thursday (Feb 8) said that efforts to secure Najib’s full pardon must however be made in respect to the current Agong’s prerogative.
Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar was installed on Jan 31 as Malaysia’s 17th king.
Malaysia's Pardons Board on Feb 2 officially announced the reduction in Najib’s jail sentence and fine following a meeting on Jan 29 that was chaired by the former king - Pahang ruler Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
“We are moving towards fulfilling Najib and his family's request, and the steps to be taken later should consider our respect for the (current) Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“This is because His Majesty also has powers as outlined in the Federal Constitution,” Mr Ahmad Zahid – who is also UMNO president - was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
Responding to claims made by Najib’s lawyer - Mr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah – Mr Ahmad Zahid said that the public should honour and respect the decision by the former king to grant Najib a commuted sentence.
“Any individual, including lawyers, should respect this decision. Subsequently, let's take legal and necessary steps to pursue this defence for Najib,” he was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
Earlier on Wednesday, Malaysian media reported that Shafee had claimed that the former Agong had contemplated a full pardon for Najib but later chose a commuted sentence during the Pardons Board meeting which he chaired on Jan 29 – a day before he officially ended his five-year reign as Malaysia’s 16th king.
The Edge Malaysia reported that members of the Pardons Board had instead recommended for the former prime minister to continue serving his sentence.
While the awarding of a pardon or any consideration of clemency is the sole prerogative of the king, administration sources previously told CNA that sensitive matters of huge national importance are typically discussed in private by the Conference of Rulers, which counts the nine heads of the country’s royal households.
On Wednesday, Shafee also claimed that discussions on Najib’s pardon began on Dec 8, 2023.
"The actual detailed (pardon) discussions started on Dec 8, 2023. (It's) very detailed, I think. It went on for a couple of hours, and they discussed Najib's matter and so on,” he said, according to The Edge Malaysia.
Najib began his 12-year sentence for criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power pertaining to SRC - an affiliate of the strategic investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) - in August 2022. He was also fined RM210 million (US$44.5 million).
Najib was UMNO chief and has continued to maintain his innocence.
But the 1MDB scandal and allegations of widespread corruption contributed to his and Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the 2018 election to the Pakatan Harapan coalition that was then led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
CNA was the first to break the news on Jan 31 on the reduction to Najib’s jail sentence and fine before the official Pardons Board announcement on Feb 2.
Prior to that, CNA also reported on the purported December Pardons Board meeting and the possibility of Najib getting a royal pardon in January.
With the reduction in the jail term, Najib has agreed that he will be released on Aug 23, 2028, the statement from the Pardons Board read.
It also reduced his RM210 million fine to RM50 million. But if the fine is not paid, one year will be added to Najib's prison sentence and he will be released on Aug 23, 2029.
Despite this partial pardon, Najib continues to face several other charges in relation to the 1MDB scandal, including the laundering of RM27 million involving funds from SRC International.
Najib’s lawyers have applied to dismiss this money laundering case, and the court has said he can apply for an acquittal, or a discharge not amounting to an acquittal if prosecutors are not prepared to proceed with the trial in September, local media reported.
