UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on party members to stand in solidarity with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who is at the final stage of appealing his SRC International conviction.
The Bagan MP said the Federal Court’s decision to reject Najib’s application to adduce new evidence in his final appeal is a court decision he has to respect as he does not want to be seen as being in contempt.
“However, as citizens, party members and party leaders the decision should not stop us from rallying behind him in the ongoing case,” Zahid said in a Facebook post.
Zahid said Najib has done a lot for UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN), and noted that in the 22 months that the Pakatan Harapan government was in power Najib had successfully deflected a litany of attacks against UMNO.
“Even on social media Najib has responded to detractors with data and facts, and during the Sabah, Melaka and Johor state by-elections he had campaigned hard to help UMNO/BN win,” he remarked.
Calling Najib the “king of social media” Zahid also said that Najib has helped revive UMNO faster to the point that those who kept away from or belittled UMNO prior to this not only wants to reach out to the party again or want to take over UMNO now.
“Insya Allah all branches and divisions of UMNO and BN will continue to stand behind Najib through good and bad times,” he added.
Najib is currently on trial over the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International.
He was convicted by both the High Court and Court of Appeal, and has a 12-year jail sentence looming over his head.
The Federal Court yesterday dealt the Pekan MP a double blow when the five-member bench rejected bids to adduce new evidence that discredits the trial judge and to delay the hearing by three to four months.
In July 2020, Najib was convicted on seven charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) over SRC funds amounting to RM42 mil.
His conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8 last year.
The court also upheld Najib’s 12-year jail sentence and RM210 mil fine. However, Najib was released on bail pending his final appeal before the Federal Court. – Aug 17, 2022
