1-2-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia’s cabinet convened to deliberate over a request for a royal pardon by the imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak, but the Home Minister clarified on Wednesday (Jan 31) that the cabinet lacks the authority to make any announcements regarding the matter.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated during a press conference focused on immigration and labour issues that the decision to announce the outcome of Najib’s clemency request rests solely with the Pardons Board.
Najib, the disgraced former leader, is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, where US and Malaysian investigators believe over $4.5 billion was misappropriated, with more than $1 billion directed to accounts associated with Najib.
Shortly after commencing his sentence in 2022 and exhausting all legal avenues, Najib sought a royal pardon. Despite maintaining his innocence throughout, Najib’s plea for clemency has sparked intense speculation.
On Tuesday, Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Zaliha Mustafa, indicated that the Pardons Board had convened and that an official statement would be forthcoming, though she did not specify whether Najib’s request was addressed during the meeting.
The anticipation surrounding the outcome prompted a flurry of media reports, with one major Malay-language newspaper retracting an article citing sources claiming that Najib had been granted a full pardon.
Neither Najib’s legal team nor Malaysia’s attorney-general, a member of the Pardons Board, responded to requests for comment from Reuters.
Officials refrained from providing further details on Wednesday, urging patience and professionalism in reporting until an official statement is issued.
Meanwhile, investigations by US and Malaysian authorities revealed that approximately $4.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB, with more than $1 billion linked to Najib’s accounts. Najib maintains that he was misled by fugitive financier Jho Low and 1MDB officials regarding the funds’ origins, believing them to be donations from the Saudi royal family. He remains embroiled in multiple trials related to corruption at 1MDB.
In a poignant social media post on Wednesday, Najib’s daughter, Nooryana Najwa Najib, shared a photo of her father with the caption “Always waiting for your return, however long it takes.”
