KUALA LUMPUR – Taking the cue from the prime minister, Federal Territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has refused to divulge more information about the existence of a royal addendum order allowing Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve his remaining jail sentence under house arrest.
She said all parties should refer to the recent statement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the matter.
“You just follow what Datuk Seri has said before. Nothing more from me,” she told reporters at an Aidilfitri open house in Putrajaya today.
The event was also attended by Anwar and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The prime minister on April 21 said any decision on the addendum order must come from the Pardons Board, but declined to be involved despite being faced with repeated criticism.
Two days prior, Anwar said the affidavit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the addendum order was made in his capacity as Umno president.
“I don’t want to get involved in the discussion about addendums and so on, because this is the jurisdiction of the Pardons Board. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers have discretionary powers on the matter.”
The Federal Territories Pardons Board is chaired by the Agong. It also comprises the attorney-general, the Federal Territories minister and a maximum of three other members appointed by the Agong.
Former prime minister Najib has named the home minister, the commissioner-general of the Prisons Department, the attorney-general, the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the government, the law minister, as well as the director-general of the legal affairs division in the Prime Minister’s Department, as the respondents in his judicial review.
His 12-year jail sentence for corruption in the SRC International case was halved, and his RM210 million fine reduced to 50 million, in a decision by the Pardons Board on January 29.
This was announced on February 2, but the purported addendum order on his house arrest was not mentioned.
Najib’s leave application for judicial review to have the respondents prove the existence of the addendum order and implement it will be heard in chambers on June 5. – May 3, 2024