THE Federal Territories Pardons Board met today (Sept 11) but decided to postpone the decision on the pardon of incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak to a later date.
The Pardons Board meeting today was conveyed by the Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh yesterday (Sept 10). But she declined to elaborate on the details.
It is for sure that Najib’s pardon – either in the form of house arrest or a full pardon – is going to come back in the next meeting of the board.
Najib’s pardon has been a much-talked-about subject for some time. Certainly, UMNO is pushing for the pardon, more so under the political circumstances of its electoral comeback.
If Najib receives the full pardon or a pardon in the form of house arrest, the clemency itself would not exonerate him from his convictions.
Much earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was charged and convicted. He was released as a result of the royal pardon. However, his conviction was not erased.
If PMX could be pardoned, then I don’t see why Najib’s case is any different.
However, some DAP leaders think that both cases are different and this is why Najib should not be pardoned by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA).
I am just waiting to hear what will be the response of the holier-than-thou DAP on the matter should Najib be accorded house arrest or full pardon.
‘Matter of time before full pardon’
In comparison to the party’s Aug 16 congress, the granting of a pardon to Najib will be the litmus test of DAP’s commitment to reforms.
Following the party congress, the leaders are merely urging Anwar to implement the reforms. I think Anwar is least bothered by the pressure from DAP.
Anwar knows DAP has boxed itself into a corner so much so that with or without reforms, the party is unlikely to quit the government.
It was a foregone conclusion that the party congress was nothing more than a showmanship of the necessity to stay put in the government.
If the national congress has prevented the party from leaving the government, will the future favourable decision on Najib by the Pardons Board make DAP to re-consider its decision not to leave the government?
I think that DAP might be put in a tough spot if Najib is given a pardon. I wonder what will be the position of Yeoh who is also the party’s deputy secretary-general.
Will she defend the party position in not supporting the pardon? Or alternatively, she might just keep quiet in the proceedings of the board.
We will have to wait and see. It is just a matter of time before Najib is granted the pardon. UMNO’s political ascendancy might assist Najib in the quest for a pardon.
DAP has maintained an uncompromising position of no pardon for Najib. If Najib gets house arrest or a full pardon, are DAP leaders willing to quit the Madani government for good?
Unlike the Aug 16 party congress, this time around it might be morally reprehensible for DAP to stay put in the government.
If Najib gets the pardon in the near future, it will be a litmus test for DAP about its morality and commitment to reforms. – Sept 11, 2026
Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Democratic Action Party/Facebook; Najib Razak/Facebook
