PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: I respect the decision of the then King (Al-Sultan Abdullah Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah)
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended the Pardon Board’s decision to grant a 50 percent reduction for both the sentence and the fine imposed on former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was convicted of corruption and abuse of power in 2020.
He said that it was the right of every citizen who was being convicted to appeal to the King, and that the process had to be respected.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Friday, Anwar said that he used to sit in the Pardon Board as a minister in charge of Kuala Lumpur, and that the King, as a constitutional monarch, consulted the Attorney General, the Prime Minister and many others. He said that the King was the bastion, and to uphold the constitution and the rule of law.
He said that all of the considerations had been taken into account, and that the King, after listening to the board, finally decided to reduce the sentence by 50 percent, which meant that Najib would be released in August 2028, if he paid RM50 million. He said that if the fine was not paid, then the prison term would be extended by another year, to 2029.
He said that there was an ongoing case in court through judicial process independently, which had to continue. He said that at the same time, Najib had every right to again appeal to the new King. He said that the process had to be respected, and that it was beyond the Prime Minister or the government.
He said that he respected the decision of the then King, and that now there was a new King. He said that whatever one felt, of course it was very political, some supported, some did not. But he said that they could not ignore the fact that they had to respect the rights of everyone convicted to appeal to the Pardon Board.
He said that the Pardon Board had made the decision, and that if one was satisfied, then it was fair, and if one was not satisfied, he or she still had the avenue to appeal at a later stage. – TNSNews