Johor MB invokes Rukun Negara, warns politicians against dragging palace into Najib row

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on November 10, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

By Ben Tan

First Published: Thursday, 12 Nov 2026 1:13 PM MYT

JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 12 — The royal institution must not be dragged into partisan squabbles surrounding former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi cautioned today.

Issuing a stern reminder to all political figures, Onn Hafiz said that there is no room for disloyalty or disrespect toward the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, particularly when questioning the monarch’s constitutional role within the Pardons Board.

“It is well understood that every prisoner has the right to apply for a pardon, and the power to grant pardons is the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as enshrined in Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.

“Such decisions are reached through the Pardons Board process, which includes representatives from the federal government and the Attorney General.

“Furthermore, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong himself has decreed that the conditional pardon order is clear and must be respected,” he said in a statement published on his official Facebook page.

The Johor MB’s remarks come amid escalating friction over Najib’s legal status.

Former DAP lawmaker Tony Pua recently drew public criticism for questioning Najib’s conditional pardon, while Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, who heads Parti Amanah Negara, proposed that the federal administration permit all eligible prisoners to complete half their terms in incarceration and the remainder under house arrest, following Najib’s precedence.

Simultaneously, the Malaysian Bar Council has also initiated legal proceedings challenging the legality of Najib’s house arrest, contending that the mechanism lacks statutory backing under current Malaysian law.

Onn Hafiz noted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had already made clear that challenging the decree amounts to defiance of royal authority.

“If there are concerns regarding its implementation, one should ask the parties responsible. The palace should not be made a target for political disputes.

“Do not be so consumed by politics that you forget the second principle of the Rukun Negara, which is loyalty to the King and country,” said the Johor Barisan Nasional chairman.

Onn Hafiz urged Pua, Mohamad, the Bar Council, and allied figures within Pakatan Harapan to direct their inquiries to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim rather than the monarchy.

He pointed out that during the Dewan Rakyat sitting on December 10, 2024, Anwar confirmed on the record that he would personally submit the pardon application to the Pardons Board agenda.

“It was their own key leader who brought the matter to the Pardons Board. This reveals their true nature; it is not the first time that Pua and his DAP cohorts have incited unrest or stirred controversy involving the royal institution.

“In the past, he was even investigated by the police following his remarks regarding a royal decree issued by the Sultan of Selangor,” he said.