Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) - It looks like embattled Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has chickened out on getting a full royal pardon for his pal Najib Razak after testing the waters and deeming it more harmful to his political survival than not.
However, cutting the disgraced ex-premier's 12-year jail sentence by half to six years and forgiving a RM210 million fine are still on the cards, according to the rumors mills which have gone into overdrive - after various leaders from Anwar's PKR party confirmed an announcement was due to be made by the Pardons Board but refused to say anything more, except that it would not be Anwar's fault if the outgoing King Abdullah had decided to pardon Najib, or reduce his sentence.
"If Anwar says no, the odds of Umno MPs switching allegiance and backing the Opposition to oust him is very real. If Anwar says yes, he totally loses credibility with voters and allies like the DAP might withdraw from his government," a pundit told Politics Now!
"But frankly, I really don't see DAP doing that, they will find some excuse or other to escape taking a principled stand and lose their cushy positions. So this is typical headless-chicken Anwar-style of administration - instead of governance, you get endless politicking.
"Why suddenly hold the Pardons Board meeting after so many postponements? Why can't the new incoming King chair it? Then why did another minister from PKR confirm that 'an announcement' will be made but till now, nothing yet. It sure looks like team Anwar is teasing for a response and until the dust settles, I won't put it past Anwar to ram through Najib's pardon. He really is in a very weak position despite the bravado. So for me, one way or another, Najib will get something or other, even if not a full pardon then a reduced sentence is not impossible."
INTENSE HORSE TRADING AHEAD OF NEW KING'S ARRIVAL
As of 9 am on Wednesday (Jan 31), there is still no statement from the Pardons Board or clarification from Anwar - indicating that the usual 'horse-trading' and jockeying behind closed doors must still be going at full throttle.
Despite being in jail, Najib still wields influence in his Umno party now led by another Anwar 'buddy' Zahid Hamidi. So far, he has served less than 2 years (17 months to be precise) of his 12-year jail term for corruption in SRC International, a former subsidiary of the controversial 1MDB wealth fund.
Najib also another three ongoing criminal cases. He is accused of illicitly receiving US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) of 1MDB funds via British Virgin Islands shell company Tanore Finance, laundering RM27 million belonging to SRC International, and committing breach of trust involving RM6.6 billion in government funds paid to Abu Dhabi’s government-owned International Petroleum Investment Company.
Hence, the speculation of a reduced sentence for Najib is gaining traction as a full pardon would not be able to address his other criminal cases. The 'predicted' sentence cut to six years also appears to be well calculated as it would then put Najib on track to make another appeal very soon - in line with an alleged convention that prisoners must serve at least half their sentence for the Pardons Board to take their application seriously.
"Pardons are the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s sole prerogative. There is no need to listen to the prime minister’s advice or to discuss it in the cabinet,” Chang Lih Kang, the Science minister from Anwar's PKR party had told reporters when asked about the outcome of the Pardons Board meeting held on Monday (Jan 29).
Apart from watching Anwar's back, Chang also took care to rubbish the notion that a prisoner must serve at least three years of imprisonment before applying for a pardon. According to Chang, that was just a convention and not explicitly stated in any regulation.
Meanwhile, the country's new constitutional monarch for the next five years, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, is due to take his oath as the 17th Agong (Malay term for King) today. Sultan Ibrahim has minced no words and has promised to adopt a strict anti-corruption stance and shake things up. His son, the Regent of Johor Tengku Ismail, has described Anwar as "indecisive", adding that he expected "interesting times" during his father's reign.
Many political watchers believe the unpopular Anwar is unlikely to complete his own five-year PM term that ends in 2027. Some give him up until the end of this year at the most - with the Opposition rumored to have gathered the support of some 120 MPs, including from Umno and Anwar's own PKR party.
At least 15 of Umno's 30 MPs are said to be ready to withdraw support from Anwar when they deem the timing is right. That number could be more if the Umno MPs loyal to Najib joined them out of disappointment over the royal pardon issue.
Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
Politics Now!
ajib pardon: Rumour mill goes into overdrive over sentence reduction
KUALA LUMPUR: The country was today gripped by rumours of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being granted a royal pardon.
Speculation started with a Malay daily running a sources story that the Pardons Board, which met on Monday, had discussed the matter and decided on granting the pardon.
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However, the same daily later retracted the report and apologised to its readers.
This did not end the rumour mill from going into overdrive, with talk later emerging that instead of a full pardon, the 70-year-old who was sentenced to a 12-year prison sentence and RM210 million fine, had his jail term remitted to six years.
Earlier in the morning, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa had said the Pardons Board would be issuing a statement on Najib's application for a royal pardon.
Though Zaliha did not release details, it was enough to further spark rumours.
Media attempts to verify the rumours with the Pardons Board and other relevant authorities were, however, met with stony silence.
Later, when a Home Ministry advisory on a special press conference to be held by Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail tomorrow was released, it triggered another wave of speculation that the government would address the matter.
This, however, was swiftly shot down by the ministry, which clarified that the press conference would revolve around foreign worker intake issues.
Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail term after he was found guilty of one count of abuse of power with regard to Retirement Fund Inc's (KWAP) RM4 billion loan to SRC International Sdn Bhd, as well as three counts each of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving RM42 million of SRC funds. He was also fined RM210 million.
SRC is a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
In August 2022, the Federal Court upheld the conviction.
In Malaysia, each state has its own Pardons Board chaired by the respective sultan or Yang di-Pertua (or governor).
The Pardons Board for each state is made up of five members, namely the attorney-general, the chief minister or menteri besar, and three other members appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the state ruler.
For the Federal Territories, the prime minister is one of the board members, as the territory falls under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Department.
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