[UPDATED] Azalina: Ask Hannah Yeoh about Najib's deferred pardon application

PUTRAJAYA: Any questions or explanations regarding the deferment of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's pardon application should be directed to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, said Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said she was not the minister responsible for the Pardons Board, while the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) under her ministry only served as its secretariat.

"BHEUU is under me, but for the Pardons Board in each state, BHEUU is the secretariat, while the minister and menteri besar of the respective state are the executive representatives on the board.

"Any questions about what happened, why it was deferred and the new date should be directed to the minister responsible, Hannah Yeoh. I have no information at all, so I cannot answer," she told reporters after attending the Program Kayuhan Fashionista: Bulan Kebangsaan Dua Sambutan Satu Jiwa at the Putrajaya Lake Promenade.

Azalina was responding to calls for the government to explain why consideration of Najib's application had been deferred.

Her remarks came after Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan demanded an immediate explanation, saying the matter was of public interest.

Pas has also questioned why the application was deferred and suggested that the decision would not have occurred automatically.

The Legal Affairs Division in the Prime Minister's Department (BHEUU) previously confirmed that the Pardons Board had agreed to defer consideration of Najib's application to a future meeting.

The decision followed a Pardons Board meeting chaired by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim, which also resulted in pardons being granted to 65 inmates.

Najib, who has been imprisoned since 2022 following his conviction in the SRC International case, had his original 12-year sentence reduced to 6 years following a Pardons Board decision in 2024.

His fine was also reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million.

Najib is also serving an additional sentence following his conviction in a separate 1MDB-related case, which he is appealing.