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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright June 2023
Zahid's recent visit to Najib in prison, lasting close to two hours and accompanied by members of Umno's Supreme Council, has sparked concerns over a potential double standard in Malaysia.
During the visit, Zahid and his delegation brought along some of Najib's favourite food, which they claimed to have enjoyed together. The disclosure made by Zahid at the Umno General Assembly prompted lawyer Rafique Rashid to question the treatment of Najib in prison.
Rafique Rashid criticized the alleged violation of rules and regulations at Kajang Prison, citing it as an example of double standards practised by the home ministry and Prisons Department.
According to him, the usual procedure for prison visits involves communicating with prisoners through a phone while separated by a glass divider, prohibiting the use of communication devices such as phones and recorders, as well as bringing in food and drinks.
Rafique questioned why Zahid's visit to Najib deviated from these norms and how Zahid managed to spend a considerably longer time, almost two hours, with Najib compared to the usual limit of 45 minutes He called on the home ministry and Prisons Commissioner General to provide an explanation regarding this matter.
As a lawyer, Rafique emphasized that he has always adhered to the established procedure for prison visits, which he claims has remained unchanged.
He raised concerns about the equality of the legal system in the country, urging authorities to consider the treatment of other prisoners as well.
Najib, has been serving a 12-year jail sentence since last August after exhausting all avenues for a review of his SRC International case. The High Court found him guilty in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power related to the misappropriation of RM42 million. This verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal and Federal Court.
Alleged special treatment for prisoner Najib has emerged previously, but this one tops it all. The public demands answers. Perhaps Zahid Hamidi, as a Deputy Prime Minister of the country himself, ought to explain to the rakyat why he and his supreme council members blatantly violated prison regulations just to humour a former party leader!
As a follow up, on June 13, MalaysiaNow contacted Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and his press secretary but they did not receive any response. Neither did the Prisons Department's public relations officer respond to MalaysiaNow enquiry on Zahid's curious visit.
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