Don’t defy royal order, Najib’s lawyers urge AGC

The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has proposed deferring Najib Razak's house arrest to address complex legal questions arising from a High Court discharge order. However, Najib's legal team has urged the AGC to withdraw its proposal and transfer Najib immediately to his residence. Istana Negara, the royal palace, declared that challenging the conditional pardon order would amount to defying the king's command, and the AGC's statement should be seen as an act of defiance.

The AGC had initially called for a temporary suspension of Najib's house arrest pending a review of legal questions connected to jail sentences in two court cases involving him. But Istana Negara stated that the pardon order was unambiguous and unrelated to any other cases, demanding immediate implementation of the order. The AGC argued that the legal questions raised were about the legal effect of the High Court's discharge order, not the validity or authority of the conditional pardon.

In response, Najib's lawyers emphasized that courts, including the AGC, have no role in revisiting the king's exercise of the pardon power.