Malaysian PM Anwar says he flagged concerns over Najib’s pardon to king

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had reminded the Pardons Board to consider how former PM Najib Razak’s conditional pardon from jail to house arrest could affect public confidence and Malaysia’s international reputation.

The comments came after Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar - who chaired the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting on Friday - granted Najib a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison term at home until Aug 23, 2028, subject to the payment of a RM50 million (US$12.2 million) fine among other conditions. 

Anwar said on Sunday (Sep 20) that he had raised Najib’s ongoing court cases and the “exceptionally large” fine imposed on him with the Board, while defending the former PM’s right to seek a pardon. He was speaking at an event in Shah Alam, Malay Mail reported. 

“I continue to remind them (the Pardons Board) that its impact on public confidence in the system, as well as international perceptions, must be given serious attention,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail. 

Anwar rejected suggestions that he had paved the way for Najib’s conditional pardon.

“When people say I was the one who paved the way (for that pardon), that is not true. What I said is that every prisoner has the right to submit an appeal and I stand by defending that right for anyone, including Najib,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail.

Anwar said that while he and the attorney-general could provide advice on the matter, the power to grant a pardon rested with the Malaysian king.

Friday’s Pardons Board meeting - held at the King’s official residence - was attended by Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and other members. 

Anwar also stressed that granting a pardon for Najib would not impede legal proceedings against other ongoing court cases against him, reported Free Malaysia Today. 

Attorney-General Dusuki had also previously clarified that the conditional pardon applies only to the prison sentence imposed in Najib’s SRC International Case. 

The case involved RM42 million transferred from SRC International, a former subsidiary of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), into Najib’s personal bank accounts in 2014 and 2015. 

He was sentenced in 2020 to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million, before a 2024 royal pardon halved his sentence and reduced the fine to RM50 million.