Reveal why Najib’s pardon bid deferred, PAS urges govt

PAS has urged the government to reveal why the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB) deferred discussing former prime minister Najib Razak’s pardon application to the next meeting.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said he believed the matter would not have been deferred unless there was a request to do so or opposition to the application among members of the FTPB.

“Therefore, PAS demands that the government immediately explain this matter to the general public, because this is an issue of public interest,” he said in a statement.

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

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

The board, chaired by the Agong, was expected to consider Najib’s second pardon application.

The 72-year-old 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.