Don’t involve me in Najib’s ‘house arrest order’ issue, says Anwar
Published on: Friday, April 19, 2024
By: FMT
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim insisted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers have absolute authority over the pardons board. (Bernama pic)
KAJANG: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has sidestepped a question about the purported “supplementary order” which allows former prime minister Najib Razak to serve his sentence under house arrest.
Najib is seeking leave of the High Court to commence judicial review proceedings in a bid to compel the government to produce the “supplementary order”, which was purportedly issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, during the Federal Territories Pardons Board’s (FTPB) meeting on Jan 29.
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“I don’t want to be involved in discussions about the addendum (supplementary order),” Anwar told reporters when asked whether the “supplementary order” existed.
“This falls under the jurisdiction of the pardons board, over which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers have absolute authority.
“All parties should accept this and focus on ensuring security and strengthening stability,” he said after Friday prayers here.
Each state has its own pardons board which is appointed by the respective sultan or governor. The only exception is the federal territories, where the members are appointed by the king.
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The FTPB is headed by the king and consists of five members – the attorney-general, the federal territories minister, and a maximum of three others appointed by the king.
On Feb 2, the FTPB halved Najib’s prison sentence in his SRC International case from 12 years to six years, and reduced his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
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Najib, 70, is currently serving his sentence at Kajang Prison and is to be released on Aug 23, 2028.
On April 1, he commenced legal proceedings to compel the government to produce the purported “supplementary order”, claiming that the government was acting in contempt for not executing it.
He said his lawyers had not received a reply after writing to Anwar and other top government leaders to confirm whether the “supplementary order” existed.
In an affidavit filed in support of Najib’s application which surfaced on Wednesday, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed to have viewed a copy of the purported order on investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s mobile phone.
Asked about the affidavit, Anwar replied that Zahid was acting in his capacity as the Umno president.
“Our stance is that all matters involving the Malay Rulers should not be challenged in court,” he said.
“This has been the government’s position, even before independence. I won’t comment further.”
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