Report: Najib's pardon bid to be decided this month

The Pardons Board could decide on Najib Abdul Razak’s application for a royal pardon later this month, reported Channel News Asia.

According to the report, the bid by the jailed former premier would be heard in the board’s session scheduled for the third week of January.

The matter was previously deferred from a meeting last month as the six-member board decided it needed more time to deliberate on the issue.

The upcoming meeting will be among Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s final tasks before he is replaced by Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar at the end of this month.

The Agong will have the final say on the pardon of convicted criminals.

CNA quoted a senior member of Najib’s inner circle saying there are “positive vibes” about the pardon petition, should the bid be heard in this month’s meeting.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for comment.

Impact on Anwar’s administration

According to the CNA report, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration will be represented by Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa at the upcoming meeting.

All states in Malaysia have their own Pardons Board headed by either the sultan or governor for states like Penang, Malacca, Sabah, and Sarawak.

As for the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan), the board is headed by the Agong and consists of five other members.

The identity of three board members is confidential while the two remaining members are the attorney-general and the Federal Territories minister, reported CNA.

The pardon bid could have an impact on Anwar’s administration no matter the outcome, said the report.

“The government is aware of the public sentiment about the issue of pardon for Najib, but this is a matter that is entirely up to the king,” a senior government official was quoted as saying.

Last month, Shafee said his team would be writing to Putrajaya to seek an update on Najib’s bid for a royal pardon, filed almost 10 months ago.

The former Umno president is serving a 12-year jail sentence at Kajang Prison for the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

In addition, he is also on trial for other charges related to the 1MDB mega scandal.

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