PUTRAJAYA, Jan 9 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said Putrajaya will not disclose the meeting minutes of the Pardons Board on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appeal for clemency.
The minister said the meeting minutes fell within the authority of the Pardons Board.
“The meeting minutes are confidential. It is the prerogative of the Pardons Board.
“The meeting minutes will not be released,” she told reporters here today.
Dr Zaliha is a member of the Federal Territories Pardons Board chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
In an interview with Media Prima yesterday, the Prime Minister’s senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin called on Putrajaya to release the meeting minutes of the Pardons Board meeting when it decided to halve Najib’s jail sentence after an appeal.
He said it would provide clarity over the whole matter so people would not pit Putrajaya against Istana Negara.
On Monday, the Pahang Palace confirmed that the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah issued a royal addendum concerning the house arrest of the former prime minister.
On the same day, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that the Prisons Department had not received any directive from the Pardons Board regarding placing Datuk Seri Najib Razak under house arrest.
He confirmed receiving the meeting minutes of the Pardons Board but said that the only decision conveyed to the department by the board was to reduce Najib’s imprisonment period.
