I’M totally against giving former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak a pardon. He has not expressed remorse since his conviction over the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.
He has not served enough time in jail yet to deserve a hearing for pardon. So far, only 17 months of his prescribed 12 years have passed.
I’m also totally against commuting his sentence to a lighter one. What is the reason for giving him that privilege? Commuting his sentence would be showing utter disregard and disrespect for our judicial process.
It would also denigrate the judgement of the more than a dozen learned judges who had pronounced him guilty and found him deserving of 12 years’ jail.
Furthermore, much public money and effort has been spent on giving him three—nay, four—trials to endow him with a fair chance to defend himself. Is all that to be wasted with a pardon or a commutation?
As important, it must be asked: What message would giving him a pardon or a commutation send to Malaysians?
If you have connections and positions, can you get better treatment and consideration? Even though it has been proven that you stole millions from the people?
That you can be corrupt and still be exonerated? Where is the sense of justice and morality in that?
Do we Malaysians want that on our conscience? – Jan 31, 2023
Political critic and veteran journalist Kee Thuan Chye is also the author of Ask for No Bullshit, Get Some More! (sequel to No More Bullshit, Please, We’re All Malaysians).
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main photo credit: Reuters
