Bar entitled to challenge Najib’s house arrest, says Azalina

 However, the law and institutional reform minister stresses that Article 42 of the Federal Constitution grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the power to grant pardons.

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said she is leaving it to the Malaysian Bar to challenge the decision on Najib Razak’s house arrest. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The Malaysian Bar is entitled to challenge the decision allowing Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest if it believes it has grounds to do so, says Azalina Othman Said.

However, the law and institutional reform minister emphasised that Article 42 of the Federal Constitution grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the power to grant pardons.

“It is up to the Malaysian Bar as to what it wants to bring (to the courts). If the Bar feels it has the right to question any issue, that is its right,” she was quoted as saying by Bernama in Bangi today.

Earlier today, the government filed an objection to the Bar’s fresh application to challenge the decision allowing the former prime minister to serve the remainder of his prison sentence for the SRC International case under house arrest.

The High Court fixed March 17, 2027, to hear the objections filed by the government and Najib.

The Bar’s fresh judicial review application, filed on the same day Najib began his house arrest, names him, the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the commissioner-general of the prisons department and the law and institutional reform minister as respondents. - FMT