Malaysia pardons board has decided on Najib’s case: The Edge
Malaysia’s pardons board headed by the King met on Monday (Jan 29), according to a Cabinet minister, after a report said that the meeting had decided on an application from imprisoned former prime minister Najib Razak.
Zaliha Mustafa, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who sits on the pardons board, told reporters on Tuesday that the meeting took place at the national palace. She didn’t say if Najib’s pardon bid was discussed, according to a Bloomberg report. “Just wait for the official statement from the Pardons board,” Zaliha said.
Malay Daily Utusan Malaysia, quoting sources, earlier said that Malaysia’s Pardons Board had granted the former prime minister a pardon. But The New Straits Times said that Utusan Malaysia later published an article on its site retracting its report. Utusan also issued an apology for the article.
Bloomberg quoted The Edge as saying on Tuesday that the board met in what is King Abdullah Ahmad Shah’s last official meeting before passing the reins to Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar this week as part of the nation’s rotating monarchy. The report didn’t say when the decision would be made public.
The board was scheduled to meet Monday, and it was reported earlier that it may consider Najib’s bid for a pardon from his convictions related to the 1Malaysia Development scandal. He is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for several charges in the case involving US$8.9 million of funds belonging to SRC International, a former unit of the troubled state fund.
Najib’s lawyer and the Malaysian government didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Asean Business
Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
Malaysia to assess response to unilateral sanctions amid concern over Iran oil shipments
Trade between Singapore and Asean was at S$295.6 billion in 2023
UK passport control hit by outage, causing long waits at airports
Fed’s Kashkari says rates likely on hold for ‘extended period’
China’s Xi lands in Serbia after talking Ukraine, trade in France
Stormy Daniels details alleged sex with Trump at hush money trial