NAJIB TO BE FREED LATER THIS MONTH? - WILL OUTGOING KING DO FOR NAJIB WHAT OUTGOING AG DID FOR ZAHID? - WILL ANWAR, DAP & AMANAH SAY ROYAL PARDON IS AGONG'S "SOLE DISCRETION" - JUST AS THEY DID FOR AG'S DECISION ON ZAHID'S DNAA

Written by Mkini

Report: Najib's pardon bid to be decided this month

The Pardons Board could decide on Najib Abdul Razak’s application for a royal pardon later this month, reported Channel News Asia.

According to the report, the bid by the jailed former premier would be heard in the board’s session scheduled for the third week of January.

The matter was previously deferred from a meeting last month as the six-member board decided it needed more time to deliberate on the issue.

The upcoming meeting will be among Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s final tasks before he is replaced by Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar at the end of this month.

The Agong will have the final say on the pardon of convicted criminals.

CNA quoted a senior member of Najib’s inner circle saying there are “positive vibes” about the pardon petition, should the bid be heard in this month’s meeting.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for comment.

Impact on Anwar’s administration

According to the CNA report, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration will be represented by Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa at the upcoming meeting.

All states in Malaysia have their own Pardons Board headed by either the sultan or governor for states like Penang, Malacca, Sabah, and Sarawak.

As for the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan), the board is headed by the Agong and consists of five other members.

The identity of three board members is confidential while the two remaining members are the attorney-general and the Federal Territories minister, reported CNA.

The pardon bid could have an impact on Anwar’s administration no matter the outcome, said the report.

“The government is aware of the public sentiment about the issue of pardon for Najib, but this is a matter that is entirely up to the king,” a senior government official was quoted as saying.

Last month, Shafee said his team would be writing to Putrajaya to seek an update on Najib’s bid for a royal pardon, filed almost 10 months ago.

The former Umno president is serving a 12-year jail sentence at Kajang Prison for the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

In addition, he is also on trial for other charges related to the 1MDB mega scandal. Mkini

DAP, Amanah urge AG to explain Zahid's DNAA

Published:  Sep 5, 2023 9:52 AM

DAP - the party with the most MPs in the government - has urged outgoing Attorney-General Idrus Harun to explain why prosecutors withdrew their case against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Amanah also issued a similar demand later.

Yesterday, Zahid was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for 47 corruption charges related to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

DAP said it "took note" of the public’s critical views on the matter and stressed that the withdrawal was the sole discretion of the attorney-general.

"DAP respects the (judicial) process and the court's decision. However, to ensure justice and accountability, Idrus should explain the factors which led to the decision.

"This explanation is important to ensure the public and the international community remain confident about our judicial system," DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke (above, right) said in a statement.

Loke also implied that Putrajaya did not influence the attorney-general's decision.

"DAP will always uphold the principle of separation of powers between the judiciary, executive and legislative and will ensure that there is no executive interference in any court cases," he added.

Detailed explanation needed

In a separate statement, Amanah secretary-general Mohd Hatta Ramli voiced similar sentiments as DAP in regard to respecting the judiciary and its decision to grant Zahid the DNAA.

"However, Amanah wishes to state, on the basis of integrity and responsibility, that the attorney-general and the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) must give a detailed explanation of the reasons or arguments which led to the decision (to apply for DNAA)," he said.

Hatta added that this explanation can enlighten all, and uphold the integrity of legal institutions in the country, particularly the AGC and MACC.

The Anwar Ibrahim administration has been met with brickbats after the prosecution decided to withdraw its case against Zahid yesterday.

Last year, Zahid was ordered by the court to enter his defence against 47 charges laid by the prosecution in 2018 and 2019 during the Dr Mahathir Mohamad administration.

The charges were related to the alleged abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi - a charity which Zahid founded and leads.

Incidentally, today is Idrus’ last day as attorney-general and he is on leave. He will be succeeded by Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.

DNAA reasons

Prosecutors had said there were several reasons for requesting the DNAA.

Among those stated in court yesterday was to allow the MACC to conduct further investigations, to look into the possibility that there was selective prosecution, and to wait for the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on former attorney-general Tommy Thomas' memoir.

Thomas, in his memoir, had addressed issues such as the appointment of judges, alleged interference by the executive in the judiciary, and claims of selective prosecution.

The Madani government had announced plans to set up an RCI into the memoir in January. This was after the cabinet reviewed proposals made by a special task force that probed the book.

The special task force, which was set up by former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in October 2021, suggested that an RCI be formed to look into the matter.

The task force also recommended that Thomas be probed for sedition and breaking government secrecy laws, and alleged that the former attorney-general himself had interfered with judicial appointments.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said the RCI was not meant to be a witch hunt but would focus on institutional reforms.  Mkini

Written by Mkini

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