Veteran UMNO leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has called on the party’s leadership to reconsider its participation in the unity government following the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s rejection of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s bid to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Tengku Razaleigh, widely known as Ku Li, expressed the view that the High Court’s decision conflicted with UMNO’s long-standing struggle to uphold the sovereignty and position of the Malay rulers. He suggested that the ruling had broader political implications for the party beyond its legal dimensions.
Ku Li urged UMNO leaders who currently hold positions in the government to reflect on whether remaining in office continued to serve the party’s core principles. He said relinquishing posts might be necessary to allow UMNO to regroup internally, restore unity, and reassess its political direction. According to him, the party should not rely excessively on political partners and must instead adhere firmly to its own constitution, rules, and founding values.
He further remarked that pursuing power without principle risked undermining UMNO’s credibility, adding that the party’s struggle should not be reduced to the pursuit of positions within government.
Ku Li’s comments came amid growing internal unease within UMNO following reactions from leaders of other parties to the court ruling. UMNO secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki had earlier indicated that the party should evaluate its cooperation with political partners who, in his view, failed to recognise UMNO’s contributions to the unity government.
The High Court decision, delivered on December 22, 2025, dismissed Najib’s judicial review application seeking enforcement of an alleged royal addendum that would have allowed him to complete his reduced sentence at home. The court ruled that there was no legal framework in Malaysia to implement house arrest and that the alleged addendum did not comply with constitutional procedures.
Najib, who served as UMNO president in the past, was convicted over the misappropriation of RM42 million linked to SRC International Sdn Bhd. He has been incarcerated at Kajang Prison since August 23, 2022. In January 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board reduced his original 12-year prison term to six years and lowered his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
Ku Li said many grassroots members felt disappointed by the court’s ruling and continued to sympathise with Najib’s situation. While acknowledging the authority of the courts, he suggested that political efforts could still be pursued, including the possibility of seeking a fresh pardon from the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General’s Chambers stated on December 22, 2025, that the High Court’s decision did not erode the constitutional powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or other Malay rulers in matters relating to clemency, countering claims that the judgment weakened royal authority.
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