Ask Hannah, Azalina says on Najib’s pardon bid

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said has sidestepped questions regarding the deferment of former prime minister Najib Razak’s pardon application.

Azalina said she was not the minister in charge, and asked reporters to direct their questions to federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh, who sits on the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB).

“Although the Prime Minister’s Department’s legal affairs division falls under me, the division only acts as a secretariat to the pardons boards in each state.

“The (FT) minister, menteris besar and chief ministers are the executive representatives on the respective boards,” she said, according to Berita Harian.

On Friday, the Prime Minister’s Department’s legal affairs division said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim had consented to defer Najib’s application to the next FTPB meeting.

PAS urged Putrajaya to reveal why the application was deferred, saying it was an issue of public interest.

The pardons board’s proceedings are classified under the Official Secrets Act.

Najib, 72, was convicted six years ago of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds. He was fined RM210 million and handed a 12-year jail term, which he has been serving at Kajang prison since August 2022.

The FTPB later reduced his prison term to six years and his fine to RM50 million.

In December 2025, Najib was convicted of abuse of power and money laundering involving more than RM2 billion linked to 1MDB. He was sentenced to 15 years’ jail and fined RM11.38 billion. He is appealing the conviction.