KUALA LUMPUR – Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor-PH) has questioned whether the newly proposed house arrest laws in Budget 2025 are designed to benefit the imprisoned former prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The Bukit Gelugor MP pointed out that it was suspicious that not long after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Budget 2025 speech on October 18, Najib issued an unreserved apology to the Malaysian public for the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
“Is it just a coincidence? I do agree that a house arrest bill has benefits. It can reduce our growing prison population if it applies to minor offences. But it shouldn’t benefit Najib, whose crimes compromised the nation,” Ramkarpal told the Dewan Rakyat while debating Budget 2025.
Ramkarpal also pointed out that Najib’s apology last week, read out by his son Datuk Nazir Najib, could amount to contempt or a subjudice comment.
This, he says, is because the Kuala Lumpur High Court will decide tomorrow if Najib has to enter his defence on abuse of power and money laundering charges related to 1MDB funds.
“Will Najib’s apology disturb the court process because it touches on matters related to his ongoing criminal proceedings? Also, when comments are made regarding issues that are tried in court, isn’t it contempt too? Will action be taken, if it is so,” Ramkarpal added.
Currently, Najib is facing four charges of using his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds and 21 money laundering charges involving the same amount.
The prosecution closed their case on May 30 after calling 50 witnesses, including former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Bakke Salleh, former 1MDB counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, and MACC investigating officer Senior Superintendent Nur Aida Ariffin.
Najib has also been serving a prison sentence in Kajang Prison since August 23, 2022, after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Following his conviction, the former Pekan MP filed a petition for a royal pardon on September 2, 2022, which resulted in his 12-year imprisonment being reduced to six years and a fine of RM210 million to RM50 million. – October 29, 2024