KAJANG – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he does not want to be involved in the discussions on the royal addendum order related to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest, as it is under the purview of the Pardons Board.
He said the affidavit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the addendum order was made in his capacity as Umno president.
“Submitting the affidavit is being done by Zahid because he is Umno president, and of course, the attorney-general has to respond on behalf of the Pardons Board,” he said after Friday prayers here, this afternoon.
Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, insisted that all matters related to the Rulers should not be challenged.
“I don’t want to get involved in the discussion about addendums and so on, because this is the jurisdiction of the Pardons Board. Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers have discretionary powers on the matter,” he said.
“All parties should accept this, instead focus on ensuring security, stability and national development.”
Previously, the media reported Zahid as a “critical witness” supporting Najib’s claim regarding the existence of the previous Agong’s “supplementary decree”, so the former prime minister could complete the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
The deputy prime minister supported the claim through an affidavit filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on April 9 to affirm the existence of the addendum order, dated February 29.
This was also when the Federal Territories Pardons Board met and decided to halve Najib’s prison sentence from 12 to six years, as well as reduce his RM210 million fine to RM50 million.
Najib, 70, previously filed an application for judicial review seeking to have the government and six other respondents confirm the addendum order exists – and if so, to execute the order, provide original copies of it and discuss any necessary reliefs the court deems fit.
According to Zahid, he was informed about the decree by the Investment Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz during a meeting at his residence in Country Heights, Kajang, on January 30.
Zahid said Tengku Zafrul showed him a copy of the decree on the phone of the Kota Raja Umno division chief, which was captured and scanned from the original copy.
Tengku Zafrul, however, has said he would be filing his own affidavit in response to Zahid’s, to correct “factual errors”. The Attorney-General’s Chambers has also said it will raise the matter in court.
Yesterday, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi said there is no need for the government to be defensive over the royal addendum order claimed by Najib.
Puad told Scoop that Putrajaya should clear the air and see it through, judging from some of the public sentiment on the matter. – April 19, 2024