Umno seeks A-GC explanation over delay in Najib's house arrest

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has called on the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to promptly explain the legal basis for the proposed deferment of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest.

Umno information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the party nevertheless respected the Attorney-General's position as the government's principal legal adviser.

She said Umno upheld the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's powers of pardon under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.

"The conditional pardon decree and the High Court order must be respected and given effect in accordance with the law.

"Umno takes seriously the questions raised by the lawyers over what it views as inconsistencies in the A-GC's position.

"The RM50 million fine has been recorded as paid, the High Court has also issued an order, and Datuk Seri Najib's residence has been gazetted as a prison under the Prisons Act 1995.

"After the court order was issued, the A-GC stated that implementation of house arrest should be temporarily deferred to obtain legal certainty," she said in a statement today.

Azalina said payment of the fine was one of the conditions for the implementation of house arrest.

She said Umno therefore believed an explanation was warranted on why the issue of interpretation was only raised publicly after the payment had been recorded and the court order issued.

"The Attorney-General has a role in the Pardons Board process under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.

"Taking this role into account, Umno believes an appropriate explanation should be given on when the question of interpretation was identified and how it was addressed, subject to applicable legal requirements and confidentiality," she said.

Earlier, Umno confirmed that it had completed the payment process at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning as a condition for Najib to serve his sentence under house arrest.

The A-GC had said implementation of the house arrest arrangement should be temporarily deferred to obtain further clarification on the interpretation of the Conditional Pardon Order granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Najib's legal team, Messrs Shafee and Co, said he had yet to be released from Kajang Prison to serve his sentence under house arrest.

The firm said the process of releasing Najib into house arrest was under way when the A-GC issued its statement.