FORMER premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s application to exclude media coverage of his judicial review seeking house arrest for the remainder of his jail sentence was granted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Judge Amarjeet Singh approved the former UMNO president’s request to conduct the proceedings in chambers due to the sensitive nature of the application, which involved undisclosed court filings.
Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah cited the sensitivity of the matter as the reason for the closed-door proceedings.
Reporters outside the High Court awaited updates from Shafee and a senior federal counsel from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) regarding the chamber proceedings.
Shafee had previously hinted at a “critical witness” submitting an affidavit to support Najib’s bid for house arrest in connection with his conviction in the RM42 mil SRC International corruption case but did not disclose the witness’s identity.
Moreover, Najib seeks to commence a judicial review to implement an alleged supplementary order by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, purportedly linked to a partial pardon that reduced his jail sentence to six years and lowered his fine from RM210 mil to RM50 mil.
On April 1, the former Pekan MP filed the judicial review leave application while serving jail time at the Kajang prison over the SRC International corruption case.
In his affidavit, Najib claimed that the former King issued a supplementary order on the same day (Jan 29) as the main partial pardon which included provisions for house arrest.
He is seeking a court order to compel the respondents to not only confirm the royal addendum but also to “forthwith remove the applicant from Kajang prison facility to his known residences in Kuala Lumpur, where the applicant would continue to serve his imprisonment sentence under house arrest”.
He also seeks a mandamus order to compel the respondents to provide the original version of the royal addendum, costs and any other relief deemed fit by the court.
Moreover, Najib alleged that his inquiries regarding the addendum have been ignored by respondents, infringing upon his rights under the Federal Constitution and amounting to contempt of the King.
He further alleged that the respondents were trying to conceal the existence of the alleged royal addendum.
However, on March 4, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that Najib was not eligible for home arrest under the proposed policy which is aimed at reducing prison overcrowding.
According to Malaysiakini, the minister pointed out that only certain categories of prisoners serving fewer than four years of jail time, senior citizens, pregnant women, and people with disabilities will be on the home detention list.
“Najib is not included in that list.”
Furthermore, the proposed home detention policy has been characterised as a measure to address prison overcrowding and not as a means for convicted leaders to serve their sentences at home.
Saifuddin dismissed claims that the policy was tailored to accommodate Najib’s situation, labelling such assertions as ill-intentioned. – April 17, 2024
