Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, lead counsel for Datuk Seri Najib Razak, asserted in court that a royal addendum enabling Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest is genuine and was deliberately withheld from public knowledge until it emerged on December 2, 2024.
Shafee revealed that the addendum was purportedly issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong and granted Najib the privilege of house arrest for the remainder of his incarceration. He called for its admission as new evidence in addition to other documents already presented.
According to Shafee, Najib’s eldest son, Datuk Nizar Najib, received the document directly from the palace at the instruction of Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the Sultan of Pahang. Shafee explained that the document, while lacking a formal signature from the Sultan, was a personal record attributed to the monarch and thus valid in its context.
He told the court that the responsibility to disclose the addendum lies with the relevant public bodies, not the applicant.
Shafee’s submission also pointed out the timeline of events, highlighting that the addendum came to light only after Najib’s judicial review for house arrest was dismissed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in July last year. The nature of the document lend significant weight to Najib’s appeal and demand its reconsideration by the judiciary.
Calling the court’s attention to this revelation, Shafee argued that accepting the addendum as evidence is essential for ensuring justice.
This development adds a new layer of complexity to Najib’s ongoing legal struggles, as his legal team seeks to challenge the earlier rulings against him. The court is now tasked with determining the validity and admissibility of the royal addendum, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for the former prime minister’s sentence.
As the case continues to unfold, public scrutiny intensifies over the interplay of legal and royal prerogatives in Najib's high-profile legal saga.
Information Source: The Vibes/Astro Awani
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