Don't politicise royal addendum issue, leave it to court, PM's aide says

Principal political secretary to the prime minister, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, has urged all parties to stop politicising the issue of a royal addendum regarding Najib Abdul Razak’s purported house arrest

He expressed concern over irresponsible parties exploiting the issue with baseless accusations against the government, particularly targeting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Shamsul said that the matter concerning the supplementary document should be left to the High Court to evaluate the views of both the government and Najib before deciding the next course of action.

“This case is still in its early stages, and the judicial process should take its course. I am speaking out to clarify the matter as the discourse has veered off track. It is no longer about whether the additional document exists but has instead escalated to calls for the prime minister to resign, be suspended, or even face the death penalty.

“Such discussions lack decorum and respect,” he told reporters after appearing as a guest on an exclusive interview programme broadcast on Bernama Radio today.

Commenting on the Court of Appeal’s 2-1 majority decision to remit the case concerning Najib’s claims about the document to the High Court, Shamsul expressed confidence that the decision was made without any interference from Anwar’s government.

“Anwar has taken an open stance regarding Najib’s trial. As long as it is in accordance with the Constitution and the law, by all means, utilise the legal channels to seek justice,” he said.

On Monday, Justices Azhahari Kamal Ramli and Mohd Firuz Jaffril, in a majority decision, allowed the former prime minister’s appeal to overturn the High Court’s earlier decision to dismiss his application.

However, Justice Azizah Nawawi, who led the panel, dissented, saying that Najib’s appeal had no merit.

- Bernama