DATUK Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s team have lashed out at political detractors who criticised the lightening of his punishment over a corruption conviction, challenging them to a debate over the matter.
In a posting on the former prime minister’s Facebook account today, they pointed to a statement by DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh who said that the reduced punishment, as decided upon by the Pardons Board, is inadequate “given the gravity of Najib’s crime.”
In the posting, the team claimed that many in the public appear to not understand the facts of Najib’s case over some RM42 million related to SRC International or they had not followed the court proceedings closely.
“It also does not help that MPs such as Ramkarpal Singh have neglected to mention or address the many irregularities that have led to the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and head of the SRC case review panel concluding that a great injustice has fallen on Najib Razak and the correct decision is to acquit and release him,” they said.
They were referring to Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli who was the sole dissenting voice in the five-member judicial panel's decision to reject Najib’s application for a review of his conviction and sentence.
The verdict on the review was delivered at the Federal Court in Putrajaya on March 31 last year.
The bench in a 4-to-1 decision, rejected Najib's appeal after ruling that he was the author of his own misfortune for the way his appeal hearings had gone.
The other members of the bench were Federal Court judge Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, Datuk Nordin Hassan, and Court of Appeal judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais.
“Now that the SRC RM42 million case has come to an end and there is no longer any danger of sub judice or contempt of court to discuss the case publicly, it is now time for an open forum be held to better inform the public and to help them draw their own conclusions based on facts instead of misinformation,” the posting on Najib’s account said.
“We invite Ramkarpal Singh to a televised open debate with a representative from our side on the subject of whether or not Najib deserves a pardon for the SRC case.”
“Should Ramkarpal Singh (who no longer has any reason not to attend since he is no longer a Deputy Minister) declines, other recent haters such as Tony Pua (of DAP) and Hanipa Maidin (of Amanah) can take his place.”
The posting added that officers from Najib’s side will reach out to any of them who agrees for suitable dates and venue.
At its meeting on January 29, the Pardons Board had decided to reduce his prison sentence from twelve years to six and slash the fine imposed on him from RM210 million to RM50 million.
Najib had begun his sentence on August 24, 2022, after failing to have his conviction and sentence overturned by the Federal Court.
Then, on March 31 last year, the Federal Court rejected his review application challenging its decision to uphold his guilty verdict and 12-year jail sentence. – The Vibes, February 4, 2024
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