PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must address the matter of an addendum order from the former king allowing Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence at home, activists said.
They told The Vibes the government must come clean over the matter.
It was reported this week that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had issued an order for Najib's house arrest.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed the existence of the addendum order. The deputy prime minister supported Najib’s claim in an affidavit filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on April 9.
Zahid said former Selangor Umno treasurer Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz showed him the document on his handphone at his house on January 30.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director Sevan Doraisamy said Anwar's silence over the issue reflects badly on the government.
He said the government's integrity is now in question.
"If the government is serious about fighting corruption, it must address the issue," said Sevan.
"The government previously said that the people who are allowed house arrest are the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people convicted of minor offences, especially the poor.
"But to allow someone who has been found guilty of corruption involving millions of ringgit to serve house arrest, just because he is a politician, shows double standards. This can never be accepted," he said.
The tale took another twist when Zafrul announced on Wednesday he would file an affidavit to "correct certain factual errors" in Zahid's affidavit supporting Najib’s application to compel the government to produce the purported order.
Human rights activist and Suaram founder Dr Kua Kia Soong said allowing Najib to leave jail would make a mockery of Anwar's "reformasi" call.
"It looks like there is no rule of law in Malaysia. When I was detained without trial under the ISA, we were in solitary confinement for 60 days," Kua said.
"When we were in Kamunting, we had fewer privileges than the convicts who were allowed to work outside.
Kua, a former DAP lawmaker, said Umno needs Najib to restore the party's influence.
"To them, corruption is part of their culture, 1MDB (money) was after all part of their election fund. Najib was perhaps a little greedy and his spendthrift wife got in on the act."
Urimai chairman P. Ramasamy said Anwar could no longer stay silent on the matter.
"Where is he? Does the addendum exist? Let the people know what's going on. He is not being transparent," Ramasamy said.
"I do believe Zahid is being pressured. We will see how this soap opera continues."
Election watchdog Bersih said the media must report the case involving public interest and funds.
The organisation also questioned the deputy public prosecutor for not objecting to an application to prohibit the media from covering the court proceedings.
"Proceedings of such high-profile cases should be transparent and open because the public have a right to know the true status of the case. (Otherwise) it may give rise to perceptions of double standards that can erode public confidence in the government and our justice institutions.
"The principle of equal justice and transparency must always be upheld as the main principle to preserve the justice system and the rule of law in our country," Bersih chairman Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz said.
Pressure on Zahid
Analyst Hisomuddin Bakar said Zahid is under pressure from Najib's family and supporters to get the former prime minister out of jail.
Zahid had promised to do that at the 2023 Umno general assembly, where he had cried over Najib's 12-year jail term.
"He is being pressured and his party is being pressured too. He promised Najib's family that he would release Najib from prison and now he is being asked when," Hisomuddin said.
"The pressure from Najib's supporters is strong, and Umno is now part of the government. They know they have to do something about it."
He agreed that the prime minister must give clear answers to the questions and not let the public speculate.
"Does the addendum exist? He has to say something. Zahid claims it exists but previously the home minister denied its existence.
"We have Najib's lawyers saying letters have been sent to the PM. So now we need an explanation from the prime minister," he added.
On April 1, Najib filed a judicial review leave application to be allowed to serve his jail term under house arrest.
In his application, Najib claimed that an addendum in his royal pardon allowed him to serve the remainder of his six-year jail term under house arrest.
He is seeking a court order to compel the home minister, the attorney-general, the Pardons Board, the federal government, and a few other respondents to confirm this alleged addendum in the royal pardon.
Najib said the addendum was issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on January 29.
On February 2, the Pardons Board halved Najib’s initial 12-year jail sentence over the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, which will see the former leader walk free on August 23, 2028.
The board said it made the decision after a meeting on January 29. It did not give a reason for approving Najib’s request for a pardon. – April 19, 2024.
