Pardon petition filed, Najib remains as Pekan MP for now - speaker

 

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak will remain the Pekan MP for now.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun (above, right) said Najib (above, left) had filed his pardon petition on Sept 2 (Friday), which is well within the 14 days after his sentencing, as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

“He (Najib) will only lose his position as MP if his petition for pardon is rejected.

“This means Najib’s status as the Pekan MP remains unchanged for now, and will only be finalised when his petition for pardon is decided upon,” Azhar said in a statement today.

On August 23, the Federal Court upheld Najib’s conviction on charges involving abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering linked to RM42 million of SRC International funds. His sentence of 12 years’ jail and an RM210 million fine was also upheld.

With the sentence, Najib became the first prime minister in the country’s history to be jailed.

Following his imprisonment, questions were raised as to the fate of the Pekan parliamentary seat as Article 48 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that a person can be disqualified as an MP if they are convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than a year in jail, and fined more than RM2,000.

If a petition for a pardon is filed within 14 days of conviction and sentence, or after the disposal of any appeal or court proceeding in regards to the conviction and sentence, the disqualification takes effect only upon the petition being disposed of, under Article 48(4)(c). - Mkini