Najib has hardly spent a day in prison, yet there is already clamouring for his pardon! It’s just unbelievable!
To his utter shame, he has been proclaimed the greatest kleptocrat in the world. Does he deserve a pardon?
Najib has been responsible for the greatest unconscionable theft of the nation’s wealth, without remorse or repentance. Yet, some Umno supporters have forgotten his crime that has brought this country to its heel economically.
He has shamed the nation, ruined the country and tarnished our dignity beyond repair. His evil deed has forever and irrevocably soiled our reputation in the eyes of the world.
These being the gravity of his crime, he is beyond clemency and even pardons – undeserving of any decent nation’s show of mercy.
It is a matter of deep concern that his unthinking, blind Umno followers have not judged with the gravity it deserves his heinous crime against the nation and the years it would take to pay back “the loot.”
Seeking a pardon so soon after his conviction turns the judicial process into a travesty and makes a mockery of the judiciary that sat through countless hours of hearing stretching over four years. It took great effort to plough through voluminous evidence before he was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That effort should not go to waste.
Every crime committed must be punished to deter others from such a foray. Such crimes are detrimental to any society. The punishment meted out shouldn’t be nullified by the granting of the merciful fruit of pardon.
When a person is found guilty, he joins the ranks of the common criminals: they should all be treated alike. But in the case of an MP, he enjoys a special privilege of an appeal if made within 14 days to remain as an MP following his conviction.
A common prisoner has to wait for four years before he is entitled to appeal for a pardon. This smacks of a double standard!
Why should there be this difference? Lest we forget, with political influence and the attendant pressure brought on, the convicted politician stands a better chance of being pardoned than a common man in a similar situation.
In this case, since the politician happens to be a former prime minister of Malaysia, can you imagine the impact he has on the entire system of governance? He enjoys an undue advantage and can be the beneficiary of the appeal for pardon immediately.
Considering the severity of Najib’s crime, economically and socially – the theft runs into billions of ringgit – does he truly deserve a pardon?
What was stolen has burdened us for the next two generations. He has made Malaysia poorer by the billions that were looted. We have to service this loan and it will take many years to do that.
It also means that the time taken to settle this mountainous debt will deny the poor, deserving Malaysians the welfare benefits they are entitled to.
If these funds are available to the nation, we could build hundreds of schools and hospitals, house thousands of our poor and homeless, provided adequate medicines for the sick and taken care of our aged population with better amenities.
Our nation has lost this capacity to celebrate the lives of Malaysians because of Najib. Does he deserve a pardon for this massive loss that we have unjustly suffered? A clear majority of Malaysians would loudly say, “NO!”
The granting of pardon by the relevant authority must be alive to the present mood of Malaysians and cannot ignore their anger against Najib for his ghastly conduct that has brought ruin and shame to Malaysia. Be assured that the backlash will be one of outrage if a pardon is granted or even any clemency extended.
Najib’s theft of the nation’s wealth was a wilful act that cannot be glossed over. As the Welsh proverb says: “A wilful fault has no excuse, and deserves no pardon.” - Mkini
P RAMAKRISHNAN is a former president of Aliran, which is cited as Malaysia’s first multi-ethnic reform movement dedicated to justice, freedom and solidarity.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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