Amanah president Mohamad Sabu will be giving up his entire salary as a minister - but not his allowances - totalling RM11,900 to help fund CSOs so they can champion a fair house arrest mechanism that would benefit all convicts.

Specifically, he is recommending that convicts be allowed to serve half their prison sentence in jail before being transferred to house arrest. He said this should be an option for convicts of all crimes.

Following on the heels of DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke's resignation as transport minister over Najib Abdul Razak returning home to serve his house arrest, Mohamad said his actions were not done out of spite.

Instead, he told a press conference in his capacity as Kota Raja MP today that he merely wanted to ensure other convicts have fair access to such privilege.

It is not clear why the agriculture and food security minister is choosing the civil society route instead of championing this in cabinet, or what it means about the status of a house arrest legislation that Putrajaya is drafting.

Asked whether he would bring his proposal to the government, Mohamad merely replied that this was a personal idea.

Mohamad did not outline how he would channel the funds to the CSOs, but cited Bersih, the Bar Council, and the Syariah Lawyers Association as among those he hopes would take up his clarion call.

Commenting on his salary, he said it was "not a lot", but that he would be keeping his allowances to carry out his duties as minister and MP.

Najib was released from prison after Umno paid the RM50 million fine for the SRC International graft case he was convicted of.

The former premier's house arrest was part of clemency granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The government has indicated that the terms of Najib's imprisonment at home are different from the planned legislation for house arrest that is being drafted.

The exact terms that Najib must comply with now that he is at home remain secret.

READ MORE: Najib's house arrest: Home is where the sentence is


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COMMENT | Stain on system: Najib's house arrest and Malaysia's perceived double standard

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