Zahid ‘confirms’ former King ordered house arrest for Najib
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamdi has confirmed the existence of an addendum order from the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong allowing Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
The Umno president claimed the impugned document was shown to him by former Selangor Umno treasurer Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz at his house near Country Heights on Jan 30.
The Rural and Regional Development Minister said this in his supporting affidavit dated April 9 in Najib’s judicial review application to compel the government to produce the impugned document.
He said Tengku Zafrul showed him a copy of the addendum order on his phone which he personally photographed or scanned from an original copy as shown to him by the former King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
“The contents of the addendum order expressly stated that the applicant (Najib) be allowed to serve the reduced sentence of his imprisonment under the condition of house arrest, instead of the current prison confinement in the Kajang Prison.
“I further sighted that the addendum order is dated Jan 29 and bears the seal and signature of His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda the Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI.
“I further confirm that the addendum order is genuine and in fact is the Royal Prerogative Order as the Main Order.
“I verily believe that for the sufficient period of time I sighted and read the addendum order, and I clearly saw the entire contents and that it forms part of the pardon process.
“Thus, I hereby confirm the existence of the addendum order dated Jan 29 issued by the former King,” he claimed in the document which is accessible to the public domain on the judiciary website.
According to the affidavit, Zahid said he did not have a copy of the impugned document but that others including the Attorney-General and Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail had sighted the addendum order.
Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul who is Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, said that he would be obtaining legal advice and looking to file an affidavit to correct certain factual errors contained in the Deputy Prime Minister’s affidavit.
“I take no position in so far as the merits of the ongoing dispute are concerned, but I merely wish to ensure that the factual record is properly reflected and recorded so that all parties and in particular the High Court is properly appraised of all material facts,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This will ultimately allow
The contents of the addendum order expressly stated that the applicant (Najib) be allowed to serve the reduced sentence of his imprisonment under the condition of house arrest, instead of the current prison confinement in the Kajang Prison.
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamdi
for a just and fair decision to be made in the interest of all parties concerned,” he said.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers will bring the matter relating to the statement by Tengku Zafrul to the court’s attention.
“In reference to the statement issued by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz dated April 17 on the affidavit by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on April 9 in the legal proceedings initiated by Najib in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, the AGC will bring the matter up to the court’s attention,” it said in a brief statement.
Earlier Wednesday, the media was not allowed to cover the proceeding of a court case involving Najib’s application for leave to initiate a judicial review to challenge the existence of an addendum order.
Najib, 70, filed the leave application for judicial review at the High Court here last April 1 through the legal firm of Messrs. Shafee & Co.
He named the Home Minister, Commissioner-general of Prisons, Attorney-General, the Pardons Board for the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya; Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) (Law and Institutional Reform), Director-General of Legal Affairs at JPM and the Malaysian Government as the first to the seventh respondent.
The former Pekan Member of Parliament is seeking a mandamus order to compel either all or one of the respondents to respond and confirm the existence of the additional decree dated Jan 29, 2024.
He is also seeking a mandamus order that if the additional decree exists, all or one of the respondents must enforce it immediately by transferring him from Kajang Prison to his residence in Kuala Lumpur for him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
Najib has been serving his sentence in Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, after being convicted of embezzling RM42 million in funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd.
On Sept 2, 2022, he filed a petition for a royal pardon. The Pardon Board reduced Najib’s prison sentence from 12 years to six years, while the fine was reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million.