Royal pardon bid won't affect unity govt ties, says Umno supreme council member

JOHOR BARU: Umno’s decision to seek a royal pardon for former party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not affect its relationship with other parties in the unity government, says supreme council member Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.

He defended the move by the supreme council to petition Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah for the pardon.

“The decision (to petition) comes from the people and Umno members who want justice and liberation... which is understandable.

“This is why the supreme council decided to seek an audience with the King to request the pardon," he said when met during a bubur lambuk programme at Seri Stulang People’s Housing Project (PPR) here on Monday (April 10).

The Johor youth, sports, entrepreneur development, cooperatives and human resources committee chairman added that Umno had never made an appeal for a royal pardon before.

Mohd Hairi, who is also Umno Youth deputy chief, appealed to the King to consider granting an audience to party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and supreme council members.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki had said the move was unanimously agreed upon by supreme council members during its Friday (April 7) meeting to seek the pardon as provided for under Article 42(1) of the Constitution.

"The supreme council (will) present an appeal to the King, as well as a memorandum signed by 191 divisions, including the Wanita, Puteri and Youth wings," Asyraf said in a statement.

Najib, 69, is currently serving a 12-year jail term in Kajang prison.

He had previously sought to overturn a decision by a Federal Court panel led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Aug 23.

However, on March 31, the Federal Court delivered a 4-1 majority decision, dismissing Najib's bid for leave to review his conviction and sentence in the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

On March 31, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli released a 78-page minority judgment that stated Najib did not have legal representation after counsel of his choice Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik refused to represent him further in the final appeal and the Federal Court was wrong when it refused to allow Hisyam to discharge himself.

Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had also said the dissenting judgment by Abdul Rahman will be used to support Najib's application for a royal pardon.