PM breaks silence on addendum, says sent directly to AG

Summary

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says a royal addendum ordering house arrest for Najib Abdul Razak was sent directly to the attorney-general, not himself or the Pardons Board.

• Anwar says the addendum was then forwarded to the new Agong for a decision after the previous one left office.

• It is believed that the previous AG, Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, received the addendum.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today acknowledged that the attorney-general (AG) did receive a letter regarding the royal addendum that ordered former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to serve the rest of his prison sentence under house arrest.

However, he said that after the letter was received, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong changed, and the AG submitted the letter to Istana Negara to allow the newly appointed Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, to make a decision.

“The decision (addendum) was sent to the AG… not to me… not to members of the Pardons Board.

“And the AG, when the new Agong was installed, (the AG) sent to Istana Negara as the king chairs it (the Pardons Board).

“That’s the situation… we didn’t hide anything,” Anwar said during a speech at Program Muhibbah Madani today.

He added that in a meeting that he was present at, the AG had advised the previous Agong that the monarch did have total discretion to make a decision, but that it must be made in the Pardons Board meeting, not outside it.

Anwar did not name which AG was involved but based on the timeline, it is believed to be the former AG Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.

Terrirudin assumed office on Sept 6, 2023, and stepped down on Nov 11, 2024. He was succeeded by Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.

Pahang palace confirms addendum

In a meeting on Jan 29, 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board decided to slash Najib’s jail time from 12 years to six and reduce his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.

A day later, on Jan 30, 2024, Pahang ruler Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah ended his reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 

According to a letter from the Pahang Palace dated Jan 4, 2025, sent to Najib’s son, Nizar, and submitted to the Court of Appeal on Jan 6, Sultan Abdullah had decreed that Najib shall serve the remainder of his imprisonment through house arrest, as stated in the royal addendum dated Jan 29, 2024.

The appeals court then granted Najib’s appeal against the High Court’s decision to deny him judicial review leave to compel the government to enforce the addendum.

The former prime minister will now be allowed to use the decree to argue his case before the High Court.

On Jan 8, both Terrirudin and Dusuki refused to answer the media’s queries regarding the addendum.

Opposition’s hypocrisy

Taking potshots at the opposition for their sudden support for Najib, Anwar reminded Perikatan Nasional leaders that the former Pekan MP was caught and tried during their administration.

“We are being transparent here... so, what’s the problem? Who is riding on this issue? Bersatu and PAS.

“Who investigated this? Who revealed that they found millions of ringgit in the house (Najib’s residence)? It was during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership… your adviser now.

“Mahathir is now the ‘spiritual leader’ of four PAS-led states. He got him (Najib) caught, he got charged during Muhyiddin Yassin’s time and sentenced during Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s premiership.

“But who gets the blame? Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.

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