Make public pardons board’s minutes on Najib, says Anwar’s aide

Prime minister’s aide, Shamsul Iskandar Akin, wants the Cabinet to consider releasing the minutes of the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting on Jan 29 last year to end speculation over the pardon granted to Najib Razak.

PETALING JAYA: 

An aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for the deliberations of the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB) over Najib Razak’s pardon application to be made public.

Anwar’s senior political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin, said doing so would end speculation over the full extent of the pardon granted to the former prime minister.

He said it would also clarify the circumstances under which the alleged addendum order allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest was issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Shamsul said full disclosure would ensure transparency and prevent any manipulation of the issue for political gain, reported Berita Harian.

“I hope the Cabinet will consider doing this so that the public is informed of what transpired at the meeting, the views that were submitted, and the decision made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time,” he said.

“This should bring clarity to the matter and ensure that no party tries to manipulate or pit the executive against the royalty. We need to be objective when dealing with this matter and not play politics.”

On Monday, Najib obtained leave to begin judicial review proceedings to compel the government to place him under house arrest in accordance with former king Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s decree.

In a letter submitted to the court by Najib’s lawyer Shafee Abdullah, the comptroller of the Pahang royal household confirmed the existence of the addendum order in which the decree was set out.

The revelation has resulted in several quarters accusing the government of hiding the addendum order, and calling for the party responsible to be brought to justice.

On Feb 2 last year, the FTPB announced that Najib’s prison sentence in his SRC International case had been halved from 12 years to six, and his fine reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million.

Najib is currently serving his jail sentence at Kajang prison.

In his leave application filed in the High Court on April 1, Najib claimed that the former king had, during an FTPB meeting on Jan 29 last year, also issued a supplementary decree allowing him to serve the remainder of his reduced jail term under house arrest.

Najib claims the FTPB had omitted to announce the terms of the supplementary decree, and that the government was in contempt for not complying with it. - FMT