Najib's fate now up to the 'court of compassion', says Azalina

PUTRAJAYA: Whether or not former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak receives a royal pardon is now in the hands of the "court of compassion", says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said that Umno no longer had a part to play as all legal avenues had been exhausted and that the King has the final say.

"There is no other legal procedure left, only the court of compassion, meaning it's at the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and we cannot force it," she told reporters after the launch of a public information website on disputes involving the so-called "Sulu heirs" on Wednesday (April 12).

On April 7, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party was appealing to the king to consider granting a royal pardon to Najib.

This followed up on Umno's supreme council decision to ask the King to consider granting a royal pardon to Najib as per Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution on April 8.

This drew significant criticism, with former minister in the Prime Minister's department (parliament and law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar claiming that Umno had no legal standing to submit the appeal on Najib's behalf on Monday (April 10).