All of a sudden, on 9 Sept 2026, which was 9 days BEFORE the meeting of the Pardons Board on 18 Sept 2026, PH issued a statement stressing that those convicted of corruption or abuse of power, particularly in high-profile cases, must serve the full sentences imposed by the courts?
Just a statement, general in nature and directed to no one or referred to any one in particular.
A statement issued out of the blue.
One gets the impression the statement was a strategic political communication where the primary goal is damage control and narrative management.
By releasing information first or hinting at it, PH wants to shape the initial narrative.
This weakens the impact of the blow when the full details are inevitably leaked or reported by opponents or the media.
The statement was deliberately ambiguous and true enough and as expected, the Madani government and PH claimed that they were completely transparent and they respect the law and constitutional power given to the Monarch in addressing this matter.
The PH leadership was well aware of the massive public backlash this decision would provoke among their core reform-minded voter base.
The statement was carefully calibrated to achieve three things:
- Shifting the Legal Burden: By explicitly backing the technical advice given by the Attorney General and the Federal Territories Minister to the board, PH is attempting to frame this as an institutional, bureaucratic process rather than a political favor.
- The "No One is Above the Law" Irony: The statement heavily emphasizes that "no one is above the law" and that convicts must serve their sentences. To a cynical public, using this phrase while simultaneously endorsing an arrangement where a convicted billionaire gets to leave a prison cell for a private home feels like an intentional rhetorical shield to cover their political position.
- Constitutional Distancing: Leaders within the coalition have quickly issued statements reminding the public that royal pardons are the sole prerogative of the YDP Agong, telling voters "do not portray this as a decision by the PM or PH"
Thus, when the news that came out on the afternoon of 18 Sept 2026, the ordinary public isn't shocked, even if many are disappointed or angry.
The lack of shock stems from months of political writing on the wall:
- The Addendum Order Saga: For over a year, PM6’s legal team actively fought in court to prove the existence of a "royal addendum" allowing house arrest. The public has been tracking this judicial battle, making the final announcement feel like the conclusion of an inevitable script.
- The Price of the Unity Government: The public understands the pragmatic math of the current administration. PMX’s relies on the support of Barisan Nasional (BN)/UMNO. Analysts have widely termed this conditional pardon a "political compromise"—just enough to keep UMNO appeased, who immediately launched a donation drive for PM6’s RM50 million fine without giving PM6 full, immediate freedom.
Ultimately, the preemptive phrasing of PH's statement issued on 9 Sept 2026, out of the blue and not in response to anything in particular was an attempt to soften a blow that the public already saw coming, protecting the coalition’s reformist branding while quietly absorbing a highly controversial political reality.
In summary, every one within the leadership of the Presidential Council of PH knew prior, that a meeting of the Pardons Board would be held and the decision to grant a conditional pardon for PM6 was already decided and would be presented to the YDP Agong on 18 Sept 2026.
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