PUTRAJAYA: Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has conveyed hope that the status of former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s application for a royal pardon would be announced this week.
“God willing, it will be announced this week,“ she told reporters during an event here today.
“Have patience. “We will wait for the board’s statement.”
Rumours about Najib’s pardon have circulated following news that the Federal Territories Pardons Board convened in Istana Negara on Monday.
Zaliha, who sits on the board, previously stated that the meeting occurred but did not say if Najib’s application was considered.
At a news conference yesterday, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that the Cabinet was aware of Najib’s request for a royal pardon.
However, he declined to provide specifics on the material brought to the government’s notice.
“We discussed the matter briefly but since it falls within the jurisdiction of the board, it is the board that must answer,“ he added.
Najib began his 12-year jail sentence on August 23, 2022, after the Federal Court dismissed his final appeal in the SRC International case.
His lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, previously stated that a pardon application was originally submitted in September 2022, with modifications made in October that year and April 2023.
