Respect king’s pardon or quit Cabinet, Khairy tells DAP

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has called on DAP ministers to resign from their Cabinet positions if they cannot show respect for the king's decision regarding Najib Razak's conditional pardon and house arrest. In an interview with Berita KS, Khairy questioned whether the DAP demonstrated consistency in their respect for the king when decisions aligned with their political interests.

Khairy recalled how the king's intervention in 2022 helped resolve a political impasse, leading to the formation of the unity government and Anwar Ibrahim's ascension to the prime ministership. He posited that respect for the king should be unconditional, regardless of whether it favored or disadvantaged specific political factions.

Khairy was not asking the DAP to defend or support Najib's pardon, merely asserting that political disagreements should not be a justification for disrespecting the king. He emphasized the importance of consistency in upholding the constitution and the constitutional monarchy, regardless of who might benefit from a particular decision.

Khairy also expressed skepticism about the Malaysian Bar's decision to challenge Najib's house arrest in court, questioning the authority that granted them the right to act on behalf of the legal profession. Additionally, he targeted DAP's former Damansara MP Tony Pua, who had suggested that inquiries about Najib's house arrest should be directed to the palace.

Khairy pointed out that Anwar Ibrahim had stated in the Dewan Rakyat on December 10, 2024, that he personally raised Najib's earlier pardon request at the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting, indicating that the government had a role in the matter and deserved scrutiny.