Perikatan set to reap bonus from Pardons Board slashing Najib’s sentence, Ramasamy suggests

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 3 — The Pardons Board’s decision to reduce former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s sentence will be a political bonus for Perikatan Nasional (PN), said United for Rights of Malaysian Party’s (Urimai) interim council chairman P. Ramasamy.

He said it may well be an “invitation” to PN to form the next federal government.

“Najib’s sentence reduction makes a mockery of the justice system in the country. This is despite the fact there are other pending corruption cases against Najib,” he said in a statement here.

Ramasamy said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had conveniently distanced himself from the decision of the Pardons Board by saying that it was the prerogative of the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“Anwar cannot wiggle out of the responsibility in sentence reduction of Najib. He should stop passing the buck,” he said, adding that members of the board include high-ranking civil servants including the attorney general who was appointed by Anwar.

Ramasamy said the rich and powerful seem to be able to get away while ordinary Malaysians are subjected to the full impact and unmitigated might of the law.

“If I am not wrong, Najib stands a good chance of getting a full pardon by this year, some are saying by August,” he said.

He also suggested that Umno is unhappy that Najib did not receive a full pardon because the former party president is seen to be key to its resurgence.

However, he said it is naive to expect that a full pardon will strengthen Malay voters’ support for the government.

“The question now is whether the opposition will capitalise on the reduction of Najib’s sentence for its political buoyancy, “ he said.

He said with more than 80 per cent of Malay support for PN, there must be no turning back on the road to Putrajaya for the Opposition.

Yesterday, the Federal Territories Pardons Board announced that Najib’s prison sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million from a former 1MDB unit will be reduced by half while his fine will be cut from RM210 million to RM50 million.

The decision meant Najib, who began serving his prison term in August 2022, would be released by 2028.

He is likely to be released even earlier than that as he would be eligible for parole on good behaviour after serving just two-thirds of the six years.