Umno has accused Pakatan Harapan (PH) of questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s constitutional authority 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 a prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution and should not be questioned.
“Unlike PH, Umno has no intention of pre-empting the Pardons Board’s deliberations or demanding any particular decision,” he said in a statement.
Asyraf said any decision reached through a lawful process should be respected by all parties.
He also accused PH of having belittled and questioned the institution of the Malay rulers on several occasions for political interests, saying this contradicted the principles and conditions agreed upon when the unity government was formed.
“Umno remains steadfast in supporting the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and His Majesty’s powers,” he said, adding that any attempt to pressure or cast doubt on the institution amounted to a betrayal of the Constitution and the country.
The statement came after the PH secretariat council said ongoing judicial proceedings should be allowed to run their course “without raising any perception” that they were being influenced by other considerations.
PH also said it fully supported the Agong’s earlier call for cases to be investigated thoroughly and without compromise, regardless of who was involved.
While neither Umno nor PH named incarcerated former prime minister Najib Razak, the exchange comes amid renewed attention on his pending application for a pardon.
Free Malaysia Today, citing sources, reported that the Federal Territories Pardons Board is expected to discuss Najib’s clemency application when it meets this week.
Najib, 72, was convicted six years ago of misappropriating RM42 million belonging to SRC International. He was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million.
He began serving his sentence at Kajang Prison on Aug 23, 2022.
The Federal Territories Pardons Board, chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, later reduced his prison term by half to six years and cut his fine to RM50 million.
Meanwhile, High Court judge Alice Loke dismissed Najib’s application on Dec 22 last year to serve the remainder of his reduced sentence under house arrest.
Najib initially appealed the decision but later withdrew the appeal, with his legal team filing a notice of discontinuance.
