[UPDATED] Najib’s patronship of Royal Lake Club revoked, members informed

KUALA LUMPUR – Disgraced and imprisoned former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s patronship of the prestigious Royal Lake Club has been revoked. 

In a letter emailed to club members, club president Manjeet Singh Dhillon said the decision had been reached during a general committee meeting on August 25. 

“Pursuant to the conviction of (Najib) by the Federal Court on August 23, (Najib’s) patronship has been revoked with immediate effect,” the letter, signed by Manjeet, said. 

The letter also said Najib had been a patron of the club since June 1, 2011. 

When contacted by The Vibes, a staff member of the club’s management confirmed the letter’s authenticity but declined to provide additional comments, or to be named.

On August 23, Najib became the first former Malaysian prime minister to serve jail time, following the apex court’s decision to uphold the high court’s previous ruling that Najib was guilty of all seven charges in his SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial. 

In addition to his 12-year sentence, the Federal Court also upheld the RM210 million fine imposed by the high court on Najib. 

A five-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the findings of the high court were correct and the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt.

In 2019, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had suspended honorifics awarded to Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, in light of their respective court cases then.

Najib was awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor Kelas Pertama that carries the title “Datuk Seri” in 2004 and the Darjah Kebesaran Datuk Paduka Mahkota Selangor Kelas Kedua that carries the title “Datuk” in 1992.

Meanwhile, Najib said in a Facebook post today that he is currently “healthy, well and calm.” 

He added that he has had the opportunity to meet with his lawyers and family, taking the chance to inquire about developments on current issues while discussing court matters. 

Noting that he has utilised his time to write down his thoughts, he said that his lawyers or family had been tasked with relaying his messages to the public. 

“There might be some delay, but what can I do? This is all that I can do,” he said. – The Vibes, August 29, 2022