FT Pardons Board convenes at Istana Negara amid talk of Najib’s petition

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar convened the Pardons Board at Istana Negara this morning for a meeting that has sparked speculation due to potential pardon deliberations for former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Yeoh and Mohd Dusuki entered the palace gates at 7.48am, as reported by NST.

The board, chaired by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, was convened suddenly amid discussions surrounding Najib's petition for pardon. Last night, Yeoh clarified that her signature was not on a viral document stating Najib's house arrest, which had previously been reported. Najib, 72, was convicted of embezzling RM42 million from SRC International and sentenced to 12 years in prison, with a RM210 million fine.

His sentence was reduced to six years and a fine of RM50 million in 2024, but Najib and his legal team claimed the partial pardon included an addendum requiring him to serve the remainder of his sentence at home, resulting in a lawsuit to have this condition granted. The High Court dismissed Najib's appeal against the reduced sentence in December last year, and he withdrew his appeal against the decision in April this year.