Royal pardon petition for Najib not discussed in Cabinet, not govt’s stand, says Transport Minister

PUTRAJAYA: The issue of seeking a royal pardon for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was not discussed in Cabinet as it is not the government’s stand, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said it was Umno that wished to seek a pardon for its former president and the issue was a party matter.

“The Cabinet never discussed this (pardon) and ministers from Umno have not raised the issue.

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“The issue of pardon is not a government stand but that of Umno as a political party,” he said on Monday (April 10).

Loke was asked if the issue of seeking a royal pardon for Najib was raised in the Cabinet.

He said the process of seeking pardon after someone has been convicted of an offence was a normal procedure.

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“For us, we place full confidence on due process and the wisdom of the King,” he added.

The Umno supreme council would be asking the King to consider granting a royal pardon to Najib, who is currently serving out a 12-year jail term.

During its meeting on Friday (April 7), the supreme council unanimously agreed to seek an audience with the King to present a memorandum signed by 191 divisions as well as the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.

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Najib, 69, had sought to review a decision by a Federal Court panel led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, which upheld his conviction and sentence for misappropriating RM42mi in SRC International funds on Aug 23 last year.

On March 31, the Federal Court delivered a 4-1 majority decision which dismissed Najib’s application for leave to review.