KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 2): The nation should respect that it is the right of every convicted citizen to appeal to the king for a royal pardon, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in regard to the Pardons Board’s decision to reduce the jail sentence and fine on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“Having said that, there are ongoing cases in court through judicial process independently, which have to continue,” Anwar told Al Jazeera in an interview on Friday, after the Pardons Board announced reducing Najib’s jail sentence by half to six years from 12 years, while significantly discounted the original fine of RM210 million to RM50 million.
“At the same time, Datuk Seri Najib has every right to again appeal to the new king (His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim King of Malaysia). I think the process has to be respected; it’s beyond the prime minister or the government. I respect the decision of the then king (Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah),” he reportedly said.
“Now, we have a new king. Whatever one feels, of course it is very political; some support, some don’t. But they cannot ignore the fact that you must respect the rights of everyone convicted to appeal to the Pardons Board.
“Now, the Pardons Board has made the decision. If one is satisfied, then it’s fair; if [one] is not satisfied, he or she still has the avenue to appeal at the latter stage,” he added.
Earlier on Friday, the Pardons Board announced that upon revision of Najib’s punishment, the former prime minister will be released earlier, on Aug 23, 2028.
If Najib fails to pay up the RM50 million in fines, his jail term will be extended by a year to Aug 23, 2029.
“Of course, the king, as a constitutional monarch, consults the attorney general, the prime minister, and many (others). He is of course the bastion, and [has] to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law,” said Anwar on Friday.
“All considerations had [been] taken into account and then, the (then) king, after listening to the [Pardons] Board, [had] finally decided to reduce the sentence by 50%, which means, if RM50 million is paid, he (Najib) will be released in August 2028. But if it [has] not been paid, then it (Najib’s jail term) will be extended [by] another year to 2029,” said the PKR president.
Najib was found guilty on July 28, 2020, of all seven charges — one count of abuse of power with regard to the Retirement Fund Inc’s (KWAP) RM4 billion loan to former 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd, and three counts each of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in regard to RM42 million of SRC’s funds.
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