Umno accuses PH of questioning Agong’s power to grant pardons

 Party secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki says call to serve out sentences in high-profile cases amounts to disputing the king's constitutional prerogative.

Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also accused PH of belittling and questioning the institution of the Malay rulers on several occasions for its own political interests.

PETALING JAYA:

Umno has accused Pakatan Harapan of questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s constitutional power to grant pardons after the coalition called for those convicted of corruption or abuse of power to serve their sentences in full.

Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the power to grant pardons was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s prerogative under Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution and should not be questioned by any party.

“Unlike PH, Umno has no intention of pre-empting the pardons board’s deliberations or demanding any particular decision,” he said in a statement.

“Whatever decision is reached through a lawful process should be respected by all parties.”

Asyraf also accused PH of belittling and questioning the institution of the Malay rulers on several occasions for its own political interests.

He said this contradicted the principles and conditions agreed upon jointly in forming the unity government.

“Umno remains steadfast in supporting the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and His Majesty’s powers,” he said, describing any effort to pressure or cast doubt on the institution as a form of betrayal of the constitution and the country.

Asyraf’s statement comes after PH’s secretariat council said that ongoing judicial processes must be allowed to run their course “without raising any perception” of influence by other considerations.

PH also said it fully upheld the Agong’s earlier call for cases to be investigated thoroughly and without compromise against any party.

Neither statement named incarcerated former prime minister Najib Razak, but the exchange comes as renewed attention turns to his pending pardon application.

FMT quoted sources as saying the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB) is expected to discuss Najib’s application for clemency when it meets this week.

Najib, 72, was convicted six years ago of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds. He was fined RM210 million and sentenced to 12 years in jail, which he has been serving at Kajang prison since Aug 23, 2022.

The FTPB, which is chaired by the Agong, later halved his prison term to six years and reduced the fine to RM50 million.

On Dec 22 last year, High Court judge Alice Loke dismissed Najib’s application to serve the remainder of his reduced six-year jail term in the SRC International case under house arrest.

Najib initially appealed the decision but later dropped the appeal, with his legal team filing a notice of discontinuance. - FMT