{
  "id": 9218963,
  "title": "Mercy means mercy, nothing less",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/mercy-means-mercy-nothing-less-9218963",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T22:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2026/09/23/mercy-means-mercy-nothing-less"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The legal battles of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have become a contentious chapter in the nation's history, marked by intricate procedural nuances and widespread public dissent. At the heart of this saga lie the infamous 1MDB and SRC International scams, both of which stand as towering symbols of political corruption and financial fraud on a global scale. Critics and supporters of Najib's conviction have proffered conflicting narratives, with some arguing that the verdict may have been a miscarriage of justice, while others maintain that the evidence against him was irrefutable. My belief has always been that Najib, like many others, fell victim to a sophisticated scam. Before the 2018 general election, political players vehemently disseminated false narratives that Najib had single-handedly siphoned off the entire 1MDB fortune. However, the subsequent legal proceedings did not align with this narrative, as the financial losses were not recovered directly from him. Instead, global recovery efforts across multiple jurisdictions indicate that he was deceived, despite potential lapses in judgment during his tenure. Recently, many supporters of Najib, dissatisfied with the royal clemency, took to various platforms to voice their discontent, some of which veered dangerously close to sedition under the Sedition Act. A common query from these critics was how the court would feel if mercy was shown to a convict, to which I responded that the Federal Constitution, not the courts, determines the application of clemency, provided the rule of law is not violated. The Criminal Procedure Code vests the executive branch with the authority to manage post-sentencing outcomes, including options like parole or house arrest. Furthermore, the Federal Constitution bestows upon the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the authority to grant mercy on specified terms, with the government tasked to facilitate such royal orders. Such provisions for pardons, house arrest, and parole are prevalent in many Commonwealth nations. However, the true dilemma in Malaysia lies in the selective disregard of constitutional principles and the Rukun Negara by certain factions, who often stoke public disharmony through unilateral interpretations and social media rhetoric. It is crucial for all stakeholders to uphold the true essence of pardon—a principle rooted in empathy and justice. 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": [],
  "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",
        "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."
}