ROYAL ADDENDUM: IT'S ABSURD TO OPENLY DISCUSS MATTERS UNDER COURT PROCEEDINGS - PM ANWAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- It is absurd for the issue of the existence of a royal addendum decree, which would allow Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence under house arrest, to be openly discussed in the Dewan Rakyat as the matter is now subjudice, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar said that the Court of Appeal has scheduled the hearing for the former premier’s appeal regarding the royal addendum on Jan 6 next year, and the Attorney General's (AG) Chambers has also requested that all parties refrain from making statements deemed subjudice.

"Standing Order 23(1)(g) of the Dewan Rakyat prohibits (debate on this matter). So, as advised by the AG, we must respect and place our trust in the judicial institution," he said in reply to Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) during Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Takiyuddin was seeking clarification regarding the existence of the royal addendum decree relating to the decision of the 61st Federal Territories Pardon Board on Jan 29, 2024, involving Najib's pardon application.

Anwar said that as an experienced lawyer, Takiyuddin should know that it is inappropriate to comment on an issue that is currently under court proceedings.

The Prime Minister, however, explained that the issue of the royal addendum was not on the agenda of the initial Pardon Board meeting he attended on Dec 8, 2023, but instead, only Najib's pardon application was submitted.

"For the record, I presented (the pardon application) to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the grounds that all citizens or prisoners have the right to make an application and due to his status, it was reasonable for his application to be considered.

"...at that particular time, in the meeting that I attended, the issue of the content of the addendum did not arise.

"The next meeting on Jan 21 was attended by the minister in charge of Federal Territories' matters, I was no longer present. That's all I can say. Other than that, let's wait for the Court of Appeal's hearing on Jan 6," he said. 

In reply to Takiyuddin's remark questioning the Anwar-led Unity Government's action of not confirming whether the addendum existed or not, Anwar said he, as the prime minister, was also subject to the law.

"Give me time after the court (decides), I will come here (to Dewan Rakyat) to answer," he said, adding that even a prime minister cannot comment on the decision of the Pardon Board unless consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal set Jan 6, 2025, for the hearing of Najib's appeal against the High Court's decision to reject the leave to appeal and the notice of motion filed by the former Prime Minister to submit additional evidence regarding the royal addendum.

Najib's appeal relates to his challenge to the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong's addendum decree to enable him to serve the remaining six years of his prison sentence under house arrest.

On July 3, the High Court dismissed Najib's application to commence judicial review proceedings and Najib then appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal.

Najib, 71, is currently serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

The High Court had previously sentenced Najib to 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210 million. However, the sentence was reduced to six years in prison, while the fine was reduced to RM50 million following a royal pardon petition filed on Sept 2, 2022.

--BERNAMA