Umno ignoring public anger over payment of RM50mil fine, says Melaka DAP chief

 Khoo Poay Tiong says voters will have to decide 'how to respond' when they go to the polls on Saturday.

Melaka DAP chief Khoo Poay Tiong said people have expressed disappointment over Umno settling Najib Razak’s RM50 million fine during his walkabouts over the past two days.

MELAKA:

Umno’s decision to pay a RM50 million fine to secure former prime minister Najib Razak’s house arrest has upset Melaka voters, says state DAP chief Khoo Poay Tiong.

Former Umno president Najib was granted a house arrest order by the Kuala Lumpur High Court after Umno paid his RM50 million fine using funds collected through a donation drive launched in September.

Khoo, who is also the Kota Melaka MP, said people from various backgrounds have expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment about the matter during his walkabouts over the past two days.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Malim tonight, he questioned Umno’s decision to pay the fine during the state election campaign.

He said Umno had lost the 2018 general election because of the 1MDB scandal, and Melaka voters would have to decide how to respond at the polls on Saturday.

“Umno is arrogant. They don’t care about the people’s feelings. They think they can win big, that’s why they dare to do this,” he said.

“Even during the campaign period, they dared to pay the RM50 million. Otherwise, Najib wouldn’t be at home now.”

Khoo also said PH’s campaign was gaining momentum after a slow start, with the mood having “picked up” over the past two or three days.

He said DAP was counting on its nearly 60-year presence in Melaka, its track record, and house-to-house campaigning to secure voter support.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim previously said he disagreed with Umno paying Najib’s RM50 million fine as it could give the public the impression that “large-scale corruption can go unpunished”.

Najib was jailed in August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.

He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million.

In January 2024, then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah halved the prison sentence and reduced his fine to RM50 million as part of a royal pardon.

In September this year, the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, granted Najib a further conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, if he settled his RM50 million fine and complied with all the other stipulated conditions. - FMT