Akmal goes jogging in Putrajaya ahead of rally

 

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh going on a jog outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, where supporters of Najib Razak plan to gather tomorrow. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh went jogging outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya this evening, on the eve of a planned rally in support of imprisoned former prime minister Najib Razak.

“Good evening Putrajaya,” he posted above a photograph of himself running beside a police barrier placed before the court building. Police have warned the public against attending the rally which they described as illegal as no permit had been issued.

Umno said yesterday that the party would not be taking part in the rally in deference to an Istana Negara statement on following established procedures on pardons, and a police warning against the rally.

But Akmal later said he would be attending the rally in his personal capacity in support of Najib, a former Umno president.

Akmal’s photo this evening, bearing a 5.51pm timestamp, was posted hours after a warning by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urging party members not to take part in the rally. He said Umno members who took part would do so at their own risk.

PAS has urged its members to turn up for the rally, while Bersatu, its partner in Perikatan Nasional, has said its members would be free to attend.

The rally will be held on the same day the Court of Appeal hears an application by Najib for a judicial review of his application to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest. He claims the order for house arrest is contained in a purported addendum to the Feb 2 pardons board’s decision which commuted his 12-year jail sentence to six years. - FMT