AGC denies defying King’s pardon over Najib’s house arrest

On November 7, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) dismissed claims that it disregarded the King's pardon regarding Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest. The AGC clarified that its request for a temporary postponement of Najib's transfer from Kajang Prison to house arrest aimed to resolve legal uncertainties, not to obstruct the royal decree.

The AGC emphasized that it neither contested nor sought to suspend the conditional pardon granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on September 18. Accusations of authority misuse, disregard of royal instructions, or unlawful detention were rejected as baseless. The AGC's statement followed allegations by Najib's lawyers, Shafee & Co, concerning the postponement request.

The palace confirmed that the King's conditional pardon was clear and unambiguous, with all conditions met. The AGC clarified that the issue was not the validity of the King's conditional pardon but the legal impact of a High Court's discharge order on Najib's remaining SRC sentence. The AGC highlighted two possible legal interpretations, neither of which should be decided on assumptions.

It stressed that seeking judicial clarification on these matters did not challenge the King's authority to grant pardons. The AGC cautioned against allegations of unlawful prison actions and stressed the need for an urgent court ruling to prevent unlawful sentence enforcement and protect Najib's legal rights.