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KUALA LUMPUR - Umno has appealed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to grant former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak a full pardon, a day after the Federal Territories Pardons Board deferred a decision on his fresh clemency bid to a future sitting.
Winding up the party's general assembly, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party was saddened by the board's decision, though he stopped short of detailing what was discussed at the closed-door meeting.
"We respect the Agong's decision. Umno accepts that this matter cannot yet be resolved. But Umno continues to hold hope that Najib's pardon can be given the best possible consideration.
"With humility, we of the Umno General Assembly seek His Majesty's grace that a full pardon be granted to Najib. Umno leaves this entirely to the wisdom of the Agong and the sanctity of the Constitution," he said.
During the speech, Zahid also instructed his security personnel not to stop a supporter from coming up onto the stage, before asking him to stand in the middle holding a placard that read "Solidarity for Najib Razak".
The Pardons Board's 63rd meeting, chaired by Sultan Ibrahim, was held on Friday.
The Prime Minister's Department confirmed afterwards that Najib's application had been deferred to a later sitting, while His Majesty separately consented to the release of 65 prisoners, with non-citizens among them required to leave the country within six months of release.
Najib, 73, is currently serving a 12-year sentence over the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds, a term the Pardons Board halved to six years in 2024 alongside a reduced RM50 million fine.
He is separately appealing a 15-year sentence and RM11.38 billion fine handed down in December 2025 over abuse of power and money laundering linked to 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
An earlier bid to serve the remainder of his reduced sentence under house arrest was dismissed by the High Court last December, an appeal he later withdrew.
Zahid also used his speech to declare that the party's Malaysia Biru agenda must be "grounded" and adopted as Barisan Nasional's official manifesto for GE16.
Noting that the workshop was being held in Melaka, he said Umno did not want to disappoint the people of the state and had agreed to fully finance Melaka.
"Rauf, let me know the moment Melaka is dissolved. We'll rally in full force to help Melaka," he said, turning to Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Rauf Yusoh, before jokingly telling him to have asam pedas ready.
