Kuala Lumpur: Najib Razak’s legal team says they are “seriously thinking” about submitting another petition for a full royal pardon for the former prime minister regarding his SRC International conviction and sentence.
Najib’s lawyer Shafee Abdullah said they wanted to wait for the right time to file the petition.
“We are seriously thinking about another petition of pardon, a full pardon,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur court complex here.
“I don’t want to (submit the new petition) too soon because the new King hasn’t warmed his seat yet, and I want to wait for Najib’s instruction.”
On Feb 2, the Federal Territories Pardons Board announced a reduction of Najib’s prison sentence in the SRC International case from 12 years to six.
His fine was also reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million, but with an additional year added to the sentence if he failed to pay the amount.
Najib filed his first application for a royal pardon on Sept 2, 2022, just days after starting his jail sentence on Aug 23 in Kajang prison.
Under the Prisons Regulations 2000, a prisoner can send a second petition three years after their conviction, and subsequently one every two years, barring special circumstances.
Shafee said Najib might not have to serve three years in prison before submitting a second application, citing the provision for “special circumstances” in the Prisons Regulations 2000.
“(Certain lawyers) forgot there are exceptions,” he said.
He also reiterated that they were seeking a full or “free pardon” by which Najib would be deemed not guilty, similar to the pardon granted to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in 2018.
“The reason we want to put in another request is that we don’t think the Pardons Board operated the way the constitution expected them to operate. The King merely hears advice but he must then decide on his own.”
On whether Najib might be granted parole, Shafee said it was possible if the former Pekan MP’s term of imprisonment remained. However, that decision would lie with the prisons department, he said.
Shafee also said Najib had yet to pay the reduced fine of RM50 million.
