{
  "id": 9216245,
  "title": "Mercy means mercy, nothing less",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/mercy-means-mercy-nothing-less",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T22:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2026/09/23/mercy-means-mercy-nothing-less"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The legal saga surrounding former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is a highly contentious chapter in the nation's history. Having closely followed its progression, I have extensively written about its various aspects, with particular attention to issues of procedural fairness and the controversial royal pardon. At the heart of Najib's legal journey are the infamous 1MDB and SRC International scandals, two of the most high-profile and contentious legal battles in modern political history.\n\nWhile many observers and legal teams have presented differing arguments, some alleging that a mistrial or miscarriage of justice took place, others contend that the verdict was based on substantial evidence of abuse of power. My own belief has always been that Najib was a victim of deceit. Prior to the 2018 general election, political actors shaped public opinion by alleging that Najib personally stole the entire 1MDB fortune. However, during the subsequent trials, this premise was not the focus. If he had indeed stolen the funds, the entire loss would have been recovered directly from him. Instead, global recovery efforts across multiple jurisdictions indicate that he was deceived, despite potentially acting irresponsibly in his public role and being held accountable for his actions.\n\nRecently, many friends and supporters, dissatisfied with the royal clemency bestowed upon him, have reached out to me through notes, slogans, and TikTok videos, expressing their discontent. In my view, some of these messages crossed the line into liability under the Sedition Act. One person questioned how the court would feel if their judgments were influenced by mercy. My response was straightforward: \"The Federal Constitution itself provides for clemency, and the court has no role in how a sentence is executed or whether a convict is pardoned, as long as the rule of law is not violated.\"\n\nThe Criminal Procedure Code outlines that once a sentence is pronounced, the prisoner falls under the custody of the executive branch, which has various legal options, such as parole or house arrest. Furthermore, the Federal Constitution grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the power to grant mercy. If the king accords mercy under specific conditions, it is the government's responsibility to facilitate that royal order. Pardons, house arrest, and parole are common provisions across many Commonwealth jurisdictions. However, the issue in Malaysia is that certain individuals and groups are disregarding the constitution and the principles outlined in the Rukun Negara. Unilateral debaters and social media influencers frequently stir public discord, even over well-established legal principles in other Commonwealth countries. In my opinion, questioning the king's constitutional pardon or royal prerogative powers may lead to violations of the Sedition Act if these remarks incite hatred, contempt, or disaffection towards the rulers and undermine the values enshrined in the Rukun Negara. It is crucial for everyone to uphold the true essence of pardon, which is rooted in compassion and justice. Indeed, \"mercy means mercy, nothing less.\"",
  "summary": "If the king grants mercy on specific terms, it is the government’s duty to facilitate that royal order.",
  "key_points": [
    "Najib Razak's legal saga centers on 1MDB and SRC International scandals",
    "Critics argue Najib was victim of deceit, not theft",
    "Royal pardon challenges constitutional and Sedition Act principles"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Mercy means mercy, nothing less",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/mercy-means-mercy-nothing-less-9218963",
        "published": "2026-09-22T22:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}