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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright July 2024
In the latest chapter of the Najib Razak saga, the former Prime Minister’s defence team is tirelessly pursuing what can only be described as the legal equivalent of chasing unicorns.
Yes, dear readers, we are once again plunged into the murky waters of the purported addendum order – the mythical decree that supposedly grants Najib the luxury of serving his jail time from the comfort of his own home.
After the High Court dismissed Najib’s leave application for a judicial review, his indefatigable lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, emerged to assure the world that this legal wild goose chase is far from over. “We will either appeal or take new action,” he proclaimed, leaving us all on tenterhooks about which route they might take next in their quest to prove the existence of this elusive document.
Now, let's address the elephant in the room – or should I say, the imaginary piece of parchment. According to Shafee, the government is hiding the truth about the supposed addendum issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong before his reign ended.
Shafee, with the exasperation of a man who has spent far too much time in courtrooms, demanded clarity: “If you say there is no addendum, we won’t waste your time.”
Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh, in his infinite wisdom, dismissed Najib’s application by highlighting the affidavits as mere “hearsay.”
Indeed, affidavits from Najib, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and vice-president Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail claimed that Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz had shown them the addendum on his phone. Because nothing says “official government document” quite like a shaky iPhone screenshot.
The judge, unimpressed by this high-stakes version of “I’ve got the secret document on my phone, promise!”, ruled that the affidavits lacked verification from any credible source.
He pointed out that no law requires the Pardons Board to confirm or produce such an order, making Najib’s plea akin to demanding proof of Bigfoot’s existence from a reputable zoologist.
For those keeping track at home, Najib’s sentence for corruption in the SRC International case was already halved from 12 years to six, with a substantial fine reduction. Yet, the allure of house arrest – perhaps a final frontier in luxury penal experiences – remains tantalizingly out of reach.
As we await the next episode in this drawn-out drama, one can’t help but wonder: is there an addendum, or isn’t there? It’s like the Schrödinger’s cat of Malaysian politics – simultaneously existing and not existing until someone definitively opens the box, or in this case, the imaginary file folder on Tengku Zafrul’s phone.
So, stay tuned, dear readers, as the mystery continues. Will Najib finally get to serve his time from his living room, or will he remain in Kajang Prison? Only time, and perhaps another round of courtroom antics, will tell.
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