MELAKA: Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh says he will be attending the solidarity gathering for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on Monday (Jan 6).
The Merlimau assemblyman said that his presence is in a personal capacity to provide moral support to the former Umno president, reported Sinar Harian.
"As Umno members, we uphold the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and respect the party's decision not to gather this Monday.
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"However, I will still attend to support Datuk Seri Najib as was done previously at the Jalan Duta Court.
"We all pray that Allah eases the proceedings and grants the best outcome for Datuk Seri Najib," he said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 4).
Late Friday (Jan 3) night, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that the party will not proceed with a solidarity gathering planned on Monday outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.
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He said the decision was made based on the principle of honouring the decree of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, on pardons or sentence reductions for convicted prisoners, and following the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
“Umno has decided not to proceed with the gathering on Jan 6,” he said in a statement yesterday.
A solidarity gathering had been planned on Monday to coincide with the Court of Appeal’s hearing related to an alleged royal addendum order that will apparently allow Najib to serve the rest of his prison term under house arrest.
