Be patient, official statement on Najib’s pardon appeal will come later, says Dr Zaliha

PUTRAJAYA: Just be patient and wait for the official statement from the Pardons Board, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa on the outcome of a the royal pardon appeal for convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“An official statement will come later. Just be patient,” she told reporters briefly after launching the 50th Federal Territories Day here on Thursday (Feb 1).

She, however, did not specify when the statement would be released.

On Wednesday (Jan 31), several Cabinet ministers kept mum over the outcome of Najib's appeal for a royal pardon.

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Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said the Cabinet only briefly discussed Najib’s appeal.

He said the decision to grant a pardon to the former premier, who is in jail for corruption charges, is not within the Cabinet’s jurisdiction.

At a separate press conference, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil reminded the media not to jump the gun on the outcome of the appeal until an official statement is made.

“I ask both local and international media to wait for an official announcement,” he said during a post-Cabinet meeting press conference on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Najib to seek update on royal pardon bid

Najib is currently serving a 12-year sentence after being found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42mil that had been siphoned from SRC International, a former 1MBD subsidiary.

He was also fined RM210mil.

The ex-prime minister is also currently in the dock to answer charges of abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil, which is also believed to have been 1MDB funds.