Respect Pardons Board's decision to commute Najib's sentence, Anwar reiterates

PETALING JAYA: All parties should respect the Pardons Board's decision to commute Datuk Seri Najib Razak's sentence, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says again.

The Prime Minister said that in the decision to reduce Najib's sentence, the huge consideration was not a matter of law but of the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department’s monthly assembly, Anwar also said it was not true Najib needed to serve at least three years of his sentence before his pardon application could be heard.

Citing Article 113 of the Prisons Regulations 2000, Anwar said the Pardons Board must provide views and consider the rights of any detainee or prisoner.

"Some claim that every detainee must be in prison for a minimum of three years. This is not true. Anyone undergoing the process for the first time can appeal, and it will be heard.

"So, I do acknowledge that responsibility, but if it is said that the Prime Minister submitted the application and appeal from Datuk Seri Najib too early, I affirm that as soon as I receive any appeal, I request the Pardons Board to discuss it.

"The process is based on the procedure at a meeting I attended last Dec 9, which involved considering the grounds for appeal, including their (the prisoner's, life journey, family, life in prison, services and contributions, whether to the family or the community and in the case of Datuk Najib, to the country. All of these factors are taken into consideration."

Anwar said every member of the Pardons Board will give their views, and ultimately it is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who will make the decision.

"The power has been given since Independence, that the decisions are at the discretion of the Malay Rulers," said Anwar and hoped that this explanation would quell the issue.

"We cannot demand an explanation from the Pardons Board which is chaired and decided by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he said.

Najib, 70, has been serving a prison sentence at Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, after being convicted of misappropriating RM42mil from SRC International.

He filed a petition for a royal pardon on September 2, 2022.

On July 8, 2020, the High Court sentenced him to 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210mil after finding him guilty of three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abuse of position.

Najib's appeal against the conviction and sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in 2021 and the Federal Court on August 23, 2022, making a royal pardon his only hope for freedom. - Bernama