Malaysian PM Anwar says he flagged concerns over Najib’s pardon to king

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had reminded the Pardons Board to consider how former PM Najib Razak’s conditional pardon from jail to house arrest could affect public confidence and Malaysia’s international reputation.

The comments came after Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar - who chaired the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting on Friday - granted Najib a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison term at home until Aug 23, 2028, subject to the payment of a RM50 million (US$12.2 million) fine among other conditions. 

Anwar said on Sunday (Sep 20) that he had raised Najib’s ongoing court cases and the “exceptionally large” fine imposed on him with the Board, while defending the former PM’s right to seek a pardon. He was speaking at an event in Shah Alam, Malay Mail reported. 

“I continue to remind them (the Pardons Board) that its impact on public confidence in the system, as well as international perceptions, must be given serious attention,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail. 

Anwar rejected suggestions that he had paved the way for Najib’s conditional pardon.

“When people say I was the one who paved the way (for that pardon), that is not true. What I said is that every prisoner has the right to submit an appeal and I stand by defending that right for anyone, including Najib,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail.

Anwar said that while he and the attorney-general could provide advice on the matter, the power to grant a pardon rested with the Malaysian king.

Friday’s Pardons Board meeting - held at the King’s official residence - was attended by Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and other members. 

Anwar also stressed that granting a pardon for Najib would not impede legal proceedings against other ongoing court cases against him, reported Free Malaysia Today. 

Attorney-General Dusuki had also previously clarified that the conditional pardon applies only to the prison sentence imposed in Najib’s SRC International Case. 

The case involved RM42 million transferred from SRC International, a former subsidiary of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), into Najib’s personal bank accounts in 2014 and 2015. 

He was sentenced in 2020 to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million, before a 2024 royal pardon halved his sentence and reduced the fine to RM50 million. 

LOKE'S RESIGNATION OVER NAJIB PARDON

Separately, Anwar told reporters on Sunday that he would meet Democratic Action Party (DAP) chief Anthony Loke to hear his views before deciding whether to accept his resignation as transport minister. 

Loke had announced his resignation on Saturday in protest over the conditional royal pardon granted to Najib. 

Loke reiterated on Saturday that while the party respects the king’s power to grant such a pardon, it was “difficult to accept for DAP and many Malaysians”. 

He also reiterated the party’s stance that Najib’s persecution due to his involvement in the 1MDB scandal is “kleptocracy” that has plagued Malaysia for a decade, and a “major crisis” that DAP has consistently fought against.

According to Anwar, Loke had informed him of his intention to step down, but had yet to submit a formal resignation letter.

“I have to listen to his views and I understand because he is a principled person,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail.

“From the very beginning, he has been consistent in opposing measures that could give the impression we are weak or lenient towards corrupt practices.” 

Loke and Anwar are expected to meet after the transport minister returns from a work trip to Shanghai this week, local media reported. 

Loke announced his resignation after a nearly three-hour emergency meeting of the DAP central executive committee (CEC) on Saturday. He also said the party’s other ministers and deputy ministers would remain in the government. 

The following day, several local media outlets reported that other DAP leaders, including National Chairman Gobind Singh Deo and National Deputy Chairman Nga Kor Ming, had also expressed their willingness to resign from the Malaysian cabinet following the CEC meeting.

An unnamed source cited by Malaysian newspaper Oriental Daily said that the possibility of a mass resignation involving DAP ministers and deputy ministers was raised during the meeting.

Najib began serving his sentence at Kajang Prison in August 2022. 

Following his partial royal pardon in January 2024, Najib maintained that then-King Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had also issued an addendum allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. 

The High Court later ruled that the addendum was not enforceable because it had not been deliberated at the January 2024 Pardons Board meeting. 

Under last week’s conditional pardon, Najib’s transfer to house arrest is subject to the RM50 million fine being paid and other conditions being met. His lawyers said in a statement to the media on Sunday that he would remain in Kajang Prison until the fine is paid.

UMNO launched a solidarity fund on Friday to help Najib pay the fine. It raised more than RM634,000 in its first three hours and reached RM1 million by 9.30am on Saturday.

Najib’s lawyers added that much of his assets, bank accounts and properties remained frozen or subject to government enforcement proceedings and were not under his sole control. 

As of today, Najib has yet to pay the RM50 million fine, which must be paid to the Kuala Lumpur High Court registrar’s office, where the case was filed and heard, Bernama reported, citing Attorney-General Dusuki.

He added that the standard operating procedures for Najib’s house arrest would be issued by the prisons department. 

Meanwhile, police and Prisons Department officers met at Najib’s Kuala Lumpur residence on Monday to discuss procedures and security arrangements for his possible house arrest, local media reported.

Sentul police chief Anuar Bakri Abdul Salam said police had yet to receive official confirmation that Najib would be placed under house arrest there. A mobile police station was deployed near his residence in Jalan Langgak Duta in Kuala Lumpur as part of security preparations.

Legal experts told CNA that the pardon for Najib breaks new legal ground for the country and could pave the way for other convicted prisoners to seek similar treatment.