Malaysian PM Anwar part of panel to decide Najib’s fate as Umno seeks royal pardon

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also said there is no issue of conflict of interest with him being part of the Pardons Board

Umno, a partner in Anwar’s ruling coalition, said it will ask the king to grant a royal pardon to Najib, who is serving a 12-year jail term for corruption

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Photo: Bernama/dpa

Published: 1:24pm, 8 Apr 2023

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be part of the Pardons Board panel to decide on former premier Najib Razak’s request for a royal pardon.

Anwar also said that any individual can apply for a pardon in Malaysia and it will be subject to the law and the legal process.

“I will be part of the process and on the matters of the awarding of honorific titles and pardons, that is the prerogative of Malaysia’s king Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

“We don’t have to debate this in public because we have to go through that process,” said Anwar after launching a programme at a People’s Housing Project in Shah Alam near Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Anwar also said there is no issue of conflict of interest with him being part of the Pardons Board.

“I have not seen the process. We have to look at the case. I think it’s a bit premature for me to comment now, because I have not seen anything except Umno’s resolution,” said Anwar.