The High Court’s rejection of former premier Najib Abdul Razak’s bid for home detention sparked fury within Umno, while segments of other government parties celebrated.
Under renewed pressure over Umno’s alliance with Pakatan Harapan, party Ahmad Zahid Hamidi responded with a fiery warning.
Set against a red backdrop, he posted a terse, single-line reminder on social media - “Jangan menyimbah minyak pada api yang sedang marak (don’t pour fuel on a raging fire).”
However, Zahid did not mention names in the post.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, who has never hidden his discomfort with the alliance - particularly with DAP - called for the party to leave the government, raising the familiar script of executive interference when it involves politicians in the dock.
Akmal has always been a Najib loyalist, and, like many of the former Umno president’s supporters, believes he was denied a fair trial.
Another ardent Najib supporter, Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi, said he anticipated the outcome and therefore did not attend the court proceedings.
In a post titled, “Some prefer Najib to remain in Kajang Prison?”, he said: “This drama has dragged on for two years. The royal addendum was hidden. The decision by the Court of Appeal was appealed by the attorney-general. The attorney-general is the legal adviser to the government. Who advised the AG to appeal?”
Noting that the judge ruled that the royal addendum was issued outside a meeting of the Pardons Board, he questioned how Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s pardon in 2018 was considered valid even before an attorney-general and federal territories minister were appointed.
“What is the next step? I will follow the decision of the delegates at Umno’s general assembly starting Jan 15 next year,” he added.
Umno leaders were also angered by DAP lawmaker Yeo Bee Yin, who suggested that the court’s decision was another cause for celebration as 2025 comes to a close.
Zambry Abd Kadir, also BN secretary-general, described her remark as inappropriate, while Umno ulama council deputy chairperson Khairuddin Aman Razali claimed that it smacked of insolence.
PAS fans the flames
Not wanting to miss the chance to highlight divisions among the Madani parties, PAS research and policy department director Nurul Islam Yusoff questioned the silence of Umno leaders while praising Akmal and noting how some in DAP celebrated the court’s decision.
“By now, there should have been an Umno uprising. The roads to PWTC (Umno headquarters in Putra World Trade Centre) should be packed with large gatherings of Umno members. A special Umno meeting should have been called, and a decision made to leave the government.
“Yet, so far… it’s all quiet…,” he added in a statement.
Advising Umno leaders not to remain in slumber for too long, he said: “Better to fall while upholding your dignity than to bow down and sacrifice your self-respect.”
‘Decision rests with Agong’
Yesterday, Zahid reportedly said that Umno was hoping that Najib would be accorded a royal pardon.
He said that as a close friend, he continues to pray for the former premier to receive clemency at an appropriate time, but stressed that the decision rests entirely with His Majesty.
“I, and all of us, cannot bear to see Najib continue to languish in prison. However, the absolute power to grant a pardon lies with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and it should not be questioned.
“It is true that we pray and hope, but we must not pressure or push His Majesty. He knows when the right time is to make a decision and what needs to be done,” he told Sinar Harian.
Earlier, High Court Judge Alice Yoke rejected Najib’s bid for house arrest. She dismissed his judicial review, ruling that the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal decree was legally invalid.
Najib, 72, has been in prison since August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in the SRC International case.
A day after Christmas, Najib would learn his fate over his 1MDB-related case involving RM2.3 billion, in which judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to deliver his verdict at 9am at the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya. - Mkini
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