Akmal calls for solidarity with Najib on eve of court's decision

Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has uploaded a poster calling for supporters of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to gather at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex tomorrow morning.

“Moga Allah permudahkan segala urusan dato seri Najib Razak esok (May Allah ease all of Najib’s affairs tomorrow,” he stated on Facebook with the hashtag “#solidaritinajibrazak”.

On Najib’s Facebook page, which has 4.7 million followers, a video of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi speaking at the BN convention in Pahang on Monday was posted with the caption: “From the grassroots to the top leadership, championing justice for Najib, awaiting his return.

“Although our former leader is in prison, not a single part of my soul has forgotten him,” Zahid said.

The BN chairperson told those present that he and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail had “sighted the affidavit which we made into an addendum”.

However, he declined to elaborate because of “legal complications and sensitivities”.

“We are just doing our best for Najib. We are not only praying for him, but we, God willing, will never stop our efforts for justice to be accorded to Najib from the aspect of a (fair) trial, additionally, what was mentioned by his son Nizar… that it is Umno’s official stand to champion Najib’s cause without faltering…

“Najib’s spirit (semangat) remains ablaze within the Umno and BN leadership,” he stressed to applause.

Prima facie or not?

On July 3, the Kuala Lumpur High Court rejected the former premier’s leave application to commence judicial review regarding an alleged addendum on his house arrest after ruling that the four affidavits supporting his claim, including from Zahid and Wan Rosdy, were hearsay.

The Court of Appeal has fixed Dec 5 to hear Najib’s appeal on the dismissal of his leave application.

The former premier, who is serving a six-year prison term in relation to the SRC International case, claimed that the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong had issued the addendum allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

Tomorrow, the criminal court will decide if Najib must answer 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering on a separate matter involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.

On Oct 24, Najib apologised for the 1MDB scandal but maintained his innocence.

This came in the wake of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who welcomed his predecessor’s apology, revealing during his Budget 2025 speech seven days earlier that the government would draft a House Arrest Bill, which ignited speculation that it is related to Najib.

Previously, Akmal had also urged the government to confirm the existence of the alleged royal addendum.

The firebrand politician also believes that the former prime minister would be able to boost youth support for Umno if he is freed from prison.

“Youths today are smart and discerning. They know which leaders truly serve and which ones just talk. And Najib is the kind of leader who genuinely serves,” he said.

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