KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 31): The Cabinet was informed “in passing” about the pardon appeal by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the Pardons Board, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
“Dimaklumkan sepintas lalu (We were informed in passing). This is not under the purview of the Cabinet.
“We discussed [the matter] but we understand that this is under the jurisdiction of the Pardons Board,” he said at a press conference here on foreign labour and border matters, after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail term after he was found guilty of one count of abuse of power with regard to Retirement Fund Inc's (KWAP) RM4 billion loan to SRC International Sdn Bhd, and three counts each of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power with regard to RM42 million of SRC funds.
SRC is a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
He was found guilty by the High Court in July 2020. The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal in December 2021, and subsequently by the Federal Court in August 2022.
Currently, Najib is undergoing the 1MDB-Tanore trial, where he is charged with four counts of abuse of power for using his position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB’s board of advisers to receive gratification worth RM2.28 billion. He is also facing another 21 counts of money laundering involving over RM4.3 billion.
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