PETALING JAYA: Do not politicise the royal pardon offered to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak just because it does not serve certain narratives, says Tan Sri M Vigneswaran.
The MIC president was commenting on the conditional pardon granted by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to Najib on Friday (Sept 18).
The conditional pardon allows Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, provided he pays a reduced fine of RM50mil.
The decision was made during the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board on Friday (Sept 18), which was chaired by the King.
“The royal pardon has always been part of our system. As a Commonwealth country, our system provides for pardons to be granted by His Majesty the King,” Vigneswaran said.
He added that everyone serves in an ex officio capacity once the highest court has delivered its judgment, except for the King, who may grant a royal pardon based on the individual circumstances of each case and the guidance provided.
"In Najib's case, he is not a habitual offender or a common thief, but a man who has devoted 50 years of his life to community service and the country. This does not mean that the higher a person’s status, the greater the leniency, but Najib has the right to appeal to His Majesty.
"Personally, I would prefer a full pardon given Najib’s years of service to the country. Nevertheless, this is the decision of His Majesty and cannot be questioned by anyone. His Majesty has obviously considered his (Najib’s contributions. Mistakes, negligence and omissions are part of human nature, and in balancing all these considerations in the decision-making process, everyone should respect and accept the decision made by His Majesty,” Vigneswaran said.
He also noted that there were several other instances in which state rulers and even opposition leaders were granted pardons.
"We should respect the Constitution, regardless of whether a political party likes or dislikes the person concerned. I hope this decision by His Majesty will not be politicised by any party simply because it does not serve their political interests," he said.
This was the second time that the Pardons Board had decided on his conviction in this case.
In 2024, the board cut his sentence from 12 years to six years, and lowered his fine to RM50mil.
Najib's original sentence after being found guilty of seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in the SRC International case was 12 years in prison and a RM210mil fine.
