Federal Court intervention sought over ex-PM’s royal addendum
PETALING JAYA: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) is seeking leave to appeal to the Federal Court over a lower court’s decision to allow former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to begin judicial review over a purported royal addendum.
In a statement yesterday, the AGC said it had filed the application for leave against the Court of Appeal’s decision the day before.
“This move is to ensure that all the rights that are provided by the law are implemented in full,” it said.
The motion, the AGC added, was filed on several important premises being the differences in the interpretation of the decision by the High Court and the majority and minority judgments of the Court of Appeal.
“This matter has raised the need to get a confirmation and clear legalities from the Federal Court,” it added.
The AGC said another issue is the laws under the Federal Constitution as the question raised involves a significant legal poser of public interest, which needs to be heard and decided by the country’s highest court.
“The AGC believes that the steps taken are not only important to ensure justice in this case but also to strengthen the powers of the constitution and law and clarify the interpretation of the law for the benefit of all,” it added.
Earlier last month, the Court of Appeal, in a split 2-1 decision, granted Najib leave to appeal his claims of a royal addendum that would allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence pertaining to the SRC International Sdn Bhd case under house arrest.
The appellate court overturned the High Court’s dismissal of Najib’s application for leave to initiate judicial review over the prison time imposed on him in the SRC trial.
In 2022, Najib was handed 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 subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd. He was also fined RM210mil.
However, in February 2024, the Pardons Board commuted Najib’s jail term from 12 years to six and reduced the fine to RM50mil.
