ALOR GAJAH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said his decision to bring former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s pardon application before the Pardons Board in 2023 was to ensure that every prisoner’s constitutional right to submit an appeal was not denied.
He said that, as Prime Minister, he did not want to be seen as blocking any individual’s right to seek consideration from the King through the Pardons Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Constitution.
“As the leader of the nation, the Prime Minister, I could not bear to be seen as victimising anyone under our Constitution. Every prisoner has the right to submit an appeal to the King for consideration.
“If I had not allowed it, I would have denied him his right. What right? The right to be considered by the Pardons Board under His Majesty the King. That is why I took that action,” he said last night.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said this when speaking at the Pesta Melaka Rumah Kita event at Taman Perdana Melaka last night.
Anwar said the move was not exclusive to Najib, as the government also allowed other prisoners to submit pardon applications for consideration in accordance with the established process.
“Anyone who makes an appeal, we allow them all. If they have a medical letter, a letter from the Prisons Department, and a letter for good behaviour, all of them are submitted,” he said.
Commenting further on Najib’s house arrest order, Anwar said he had expressed the view that the public might not yet be ready to accept such a decision, as the government was working to tackle corruption and did not want any perception to arise that could undermine those efforts.
However, he said the decision to grant house arrest was made upon the compassion and consent of the King after considering all factors, and the government abided by the decision.
He also explained that the Attorney-General’s action in seeking confirmation from the court on the house arrest issue was part of the necessary process, not an act of defiance against a royal decree.
At the same time, the Prime Minister said the debate over the issue should not distract young people from the principles of rejecting corruption and abuse of power, as well as the responsibility to champion the welfare of the people, particularly the low-income group.
