Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s application for a royal pardon is expected to be deliberated by the Federal Territories Pardons Board during its meeting on Sept 11, according to sources familiar with the matter. The potential clemency review has triggered immediate political pushback from Pakatan Harapan, a key coalition partner in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, which insists that individuals convicted of high-profile corruption must serve their full prison sentences.
Najib’s Clemency Bid Nears Federal Territories Pardons Board
Inside the Kajang Prison Sentence and SRC International Conviction
Najib, 72, began serving a 12-year prison sentence at Kajang Prison on August 23, 2022, after a federal court upheld his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million in funds from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. He was also fined RM210 million. In a previous review, the Pardons Board halved his prison term to six years and reduced the fine to RM50 million. In December of last year, High Court judge Alice Loke dismissed Najib’s legal application to serve the remainder of his reduced sentence under house arrest, an appeal his legal team subsequently dropped by filing a notice of discontinuance.
Pending House Arrest Proposal and Board Deliberations
The Federal Territories Pardons Board is scheduled to convene to discuss several pending matters, with Najib’s application taking center stage, according to sources speaking to Free Malaysia Today. It remains unconfirmed whether the board will reach a final decision during the session or limit its agenda to preliminary discussions. Separate sources indicated that the board might also review an option allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest, though official confirmation on that specific proposal is pending.
Pakatan Harapan Issues Midnight Stance on Anti-Corruption Agenda
Ahead of the board’s meeting, the Pakatan Harapan secretariat council issued a midnight statement maintaining that individuals convicted of corruption and abuse of power must fully complete their court-mandated sentences. While the coalition statement did not explicitly name Najib or reference specific ongoing cases, it stressed support for the Madani government’s anti-corruption agenda and institutional reforms.
Coalition Demands Accountability Free from External Influence
“As a coalition that has championed institutional reforms, good governance and rejection of corruption from the outset, Pakatan Harapan holds that any individual convicted of corruption or abuse of power, especially in high-profile cases, must fully serve the sentence set by the court,” the coalition said in its statement. Pakatan Harapan also urged that all judicial processes proceed without raising public perception of external influence.
According to Sin Chew Daily, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh, who sits on the Pardons Board, briefed the Pakatan Harapan presidential council regarding the upcoming proceedings. Media outlets have reached out to Minister Yeoh, Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar, and Najib’s lead defense counsel, Shafee Abdullah, for official comments on the scheduled deliberations.
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