Respect King's powers to grant pardons, says Wee Ka Siong

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has urged respect for the royal institution and the King's powers to grant pardons, stating that contradictions between these principles cannot be tolerated. Wee emphasized that respect for the royal institution and the Constitution must be consistent and not conflicting. Any legal questions surrounding former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest should be addressed promptly through appropriate channels instead of delaying its implementation, according to Wee.

The Attorney-General's Chambers confirmed that seeking a court ruling on Najib's house arrest does not override the King's constitutional authority to grant pardons, stating that these are separate matters. Wee stressed that respect for the rule of law and respect for the King's constitutional authority are not mutually exclusive.

He argued that true respect is demonstrated by actions that uphold the King's constitutional authority and the dignity of the constitutional monarchy, rather than merely expressing loyalty. Following the grant of the royal pardon on September 18, Umno paid Najib RM50 million in fines, fulfilling a condition of the pardon. The pardon allows Najib to serve the remainder of his SRC International prison sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, subject to compliance with specified conditions.

However, the Attorney-General's Chambers subsequently requested a temporary deferral of the house arrest implementation pending clarification of legal questions surrounding the pardon and the impact of the High Court's orders.