Ku Li Raises 4 Questions After Court Decision On Addendum

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Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah questioned how the government could have no knowledge about the purported existence of the house arrest ‘addendum’.
PETALING JAYA: Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is questioning the party’s next move after Najib Razak won his appeal to pursue his claim over a royal addendum allowing him to serve his remaining jail sentence under house arrest.
The former Gua Musang MP and finance minister said the Court of Appeal’s decision today and the letter from the comptroller of the Pahang royal household produced in court raised four crucial questions concerning the unity government.
“How did the government not have any information on the existence of this house arrest ‘addendum’ issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong? How does this affect Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement in Parliament on this matter?

“Following the attorney-general’s statement, at the order of the king, that all appeals for Najib must go through a new process (to the pardons board), what are the legal implications of the new evidence confirmed by the Pahang palace?
“Fourthly, what will be Umno’s reaction and further action, and what will happen to its position in the unity government with this new evidence?” Tengku Razaleigh, the Umno adviser, said in a statement.
Last week, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said all proposals for prisoners in the federal territories to serve the remainder of their sentence under house arrest, including Najib, have to be submitted to the pardons board.
Several days later, Istana Negara said the king holds the prerogative to grant pardons under Articles 42(1) and (2) of the Federal Constitution, based on the advice of the pardons board he chairs, for offences committed within the federal territories.
It said that if any party wishes to propose that a prisoner be granted a pardon or sentence reduction, the application must be submitted by the prisoner for consideration by the pardons board at the next meeting.
Earlier today, the Court of Appeal granted Najib leave to begin judicial review proceedings to compel the government to execute the supplementary decree issued by the former king.
Justice Firuz Jaffril said Najib had, after the High Court hearing in July, obtained a copy of the addendum from the Pahang ruler, who was the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
During submissions, lawyer Shafee Abdullah said Najib’s son, Nizar, had filed another affidavit two days ago claiming that the comptroller of the Pahang royal household had confirmed the existence of the addendum order and verified its authenticity.
Separately, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh urged the government to reveal the party responsible for keeping under wraps the addendum order, after home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail insisted he had no knowledge on the matter.
“If the court has confirmed that the addendum order exists, the question is who kept the order hidden? We ask the government to answer,” said Akmal.
At a press conference this evening, Saifuddin said his ministry did not receive any addendum or directive allowing Najib to serve his sentence under house arrest.
The home minister said the ministry only received two documents regarding Najib’s case – the minutes of the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting and the official pardons board order reducing his prison sentence and fine. - FMT

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