KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil today asserted that the legal process must be adhered to when it comes to pardoning a convict.

Following renewed calls from Umno delegates to free and pardon disgraced ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Fahmi said that the process must be their focus for now.

"In general, any case involving pardoning, there is a process, and we obey and follow the process. So, our focus now is the process,” he said after attending a National Month 2024 celebration programme at Bangsar South here.

In this year’s Umno general assembly, the Malay nationalist party campaign for a full pardon and prison release of their former leader Najib.

Umno Secretary-General Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said efforts to obtain a full pardon for Najib remained among the party’s top agenda at this year’s assembly and urged delegates to use their "most powerful weapon”, prayer, to secure his freedom.

This was affirmed by Najib’s successor, Zahid, who said the party is committed to his release even if it has to run the gauntlet of criticism from its current allies in the unity government.

Many delegates were visibly supportive of this affirmation, showing they still view Najib as a great leader despite his corruption conviction for the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd, and the ongoing 1MDB trial, which has resulted in the devastating loss of billions of ringgit from Malaysia.

Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Salleh asserted in a press conference at the end of the assembly that more young Malaysians will back his party if Najib walks because the latter "is indeed a leader who can truly serve”.

Mohd Iskandar Jaafar, a delegate from Terengganu where Umno was wholly wiped out in the last state election, went as far as to assert that Najib’s release from prison would benefit its former adversary-turned-friendly coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The Setiu Umno deputy chief later told Malay Mail when contacted that PH will be able to shore up its voter base because Umno members will be so grateful if the government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from PKR supports his party’s campaign for Najib to walk free.