King's prerogative to pardon Najib cannot be questioned, says Anwar

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the prerogative of King Sultan Ibrahim to grant a conditional pardon to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak cannot be questioned. According to the New Straits Times, the decision regarding Najib's pardon in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case was made based on a royal decree, and preparations for its implementation have been carried out.

Anwar explained that while the SRC case decision was accepted, complications have arisen regarding the 1MDB case, which may require a few days to resolve after being referred to the judiciary.

Anwar has urged Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar to promptly seek an audience with the King to apologize and explain the reasons for proposing a deferment of the house arrest. The Prime Minister emphasized that the government acknowledges the King's authority and is preparing to fulfill its responsibility to execute the decision. Anwar noted that the specifics of the legal issues and the implications for the 1MDB case fall under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General rather than the Prime Minister.

The Attorney General stood by his decision to seek legal clarifications regarding the royal order allowing Najib to serve his sentence under house arrest, rejecting accusations of treason. Channel News Asia reports that the dispute emerged after the Attorney General temporarily blocked Najib’s transfer from prison to house arrest on Friday, prompting a public rebuke from the palace. The palace stated that the King's prerogative to allow house arrest was clear and must be respected.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times, Channel News Asia, The Vibes, Free Malaysia Today, Malay Mail — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.