Najib’s conditional pardon does not erase conviction, Umno told

Analysts say Umno must demonstrate that its support for former prime minister Najib Razak’s conditional pardon will not detract from its acceptance of the decision which saw him convicted in the SRC International case.

They said sympathy for the former Umno president should not overshadow the court’s decision or gloss over the weak checks and balances in place during the party’s time in government.

“Umno can support Najib’s pardon as a constitutional and humanitarian process, but it should not portray it as erasing or negating his conviction,” Universiti Malaya’s Tawfik Yaakub told FMT.

However, he said support for Najib as an individual must not be conflated with defending wrongdoings committed while in office.

Najib was jailed in August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million in SRC funds.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million.

In January 2024, former king Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah exercised his pardon powers by halving Najib’s jail term and reducing his fine to RM50 million.

Then, on Sept 18 this year, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim granted Najib a further conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of the fine and compliance with other stipulated conditions.

Umno subsequently set up a fund to help its former president to pay the fine, with party leaders, members and supporters encouraged to contribute voluntarily.

However, Tawfik said the issue ran much deeper, and that Umno must consider the wider impact of the case on the public and the country’s reputation.

He said the party must make clear that no public funds were being used, while ensuring that efforts to recover assets, pursue compensation and advance governance reforms continue.

“Umno does not automatically bear responsibility for an individual’s wrongdoing.

“However, as the party that led the government when the scandal erupted, Umno must acknowledge—in political and moral terms—that there were weaknesses in checks and balances at the time which cannot be repeated,” he said.

Tawfik said several reforms are urgently needed, including strengthening independent enforcement, ensuring transparency in political financing, mandating asset declarations, and tightening oversight of government-linked companies.

He said a clear separation between the interests of the party, the government and state institutions was also important to prevent such problems from recurring.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Mazlan Ali said Umno’s “culture and governance” had changed little since Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the 14th general election.

“The party still follows its old ways,” he said.

However, Mazlan noted that Umno’s role in Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government had, to some extent, compelled the party to adapt to a political climate that places greater emphasis on transparency and integrity.

He said the Najib issue also highlighted differences in perception between some Umno supporters and other groups of voters.

Some rural Malays, Felda settlers, and Umno members and supporters viewed assistance for Najib as an act of solidarity and in humanitarian terms, said Mazlan.

In contrast, he said, many urban Malay, middle-class and non-Malay voters viewed Najib’s sentence as justified, given that the offences were established by the court.

Mazlan said that, to his knowledge, Khairy Jamaluddin was among the few prominent Umno figures to have openly acknowledged the wrongdoing and harm the case had caused the country.

However, he admitted that many Umno leaders continue to defend Najib, viewing him as a victim.

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