KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General (AG) should be temporarily placed on leave following developments regarding the implementation of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest, says the Barisan Nasional MPs secretariat.
Speaking at a press conference in the Parliament media centre on Wednesday (Nov 11), Tenggara MP Manndzri Nasib said an independent assessment body should conduct a comprehensive review of how the case was managed.
"The court order's implementation does not overlook what happened with the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), which has eroded public trust in the institution.
"The implementation of the house arrest does not overlook the delays that occurred. Its resolution also does not excuse responsibility.
"The Attorney-General must answer why the delay occurred and who was responsible for this," he said.
The secretariat's call comes amid questions over the handling of Najib's house arrest order, where the former prime minister was finally allowed to return to his Jalan Langgak Duta residence on Tuesday (Nov 10) to begin serving the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
This came after the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed him to do so with immediate effect, following an application by the AGC to review an earlier release order issued on Nov 6.
Najib was convicted in July 2020 of misappropriating RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd and sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and a RM210mil fine.
On Feb 2, 2024, the Pardons Board announced that Najib had received a 50% reduction in his sentence, from 12 years to six years, with his fine also reduced from RM210mil to RM50mil.
On Sept 18, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department, which serves as the Pardons Board secretariat, announced that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, had consented to granting Najib a conditional pardon.
The decision allowed the former prime minister to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of the RM50mil fine.
Manndzri said the secretariat also demanded answers on what actually transpired, and why the house arrest was delayed on the premise of seeking legal clarity.
"What were the rectification documents issued to resolve the matter, and if it was through the issuing of a new warrant or correction of existing documents, the AGC must explain why this was not done earlier or once the issue was identified," he asked.
He added that while the AGC had the right to refer legal questions to the court, that right did not forego their responsibility to act swiftly, provide accurate legal advice and ensure the implementation of any decision was done in an orderly manner.
"The rakyat deserves to know what changed, the identified issues and why the resolution took up till Nov 10," he added.
Manndzri also said the AG must clarify his role as a permanent member of the Pardons Board.
"Were the questions raised when the Pardons Board met on Sept 18?" he asked.
