LETTER | Staying home after being convicted?

LETTER | Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s legal team has recently urged the government to execute former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah’s order for the convicted criminal to be held under house arrest.

According to them, Sultan Abdullah made the supplementary order at the Pardons Board meeting held in January, a day before his tenure ended. The existence of this order was recently “verified” by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim then emphasised that Zahid made the statement through his capacity as Umno president, not as a cabinet member. As always, he claimed non-interference on the matter and invited brickbats from the public.

It must be acknowledged that there is no law in Malaysia that allows house arrest for convicted criminals.

The only related provision inside the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 was dedicated to dangerous suspects who are awaiting trial. In addition, the power to impose house arrest under this law is vested within the Prevention of Crime Board, not the Agong.

Those who claimed that Sultan Abdullah ordered a house arrest for Najib must have been part of the secretive and last-minute Pardons Board meeting in January.

They must have held some information that could justify their claims, or else they would have been merely issuing baseless speculations.

However, despite the issue having developed for days and weeks, no one has shown any documents or evidence related to the so-called “order”. Even Sultan Abdullah himself has not issued any statements regarding the matter so far.

Legal perspectives aside, it is also outrightly ridiculous for the government to allow a corrupted crook who has embezzled billions of taxpayers’ money to serve his sentence in the comfort of his home.

What is the purpose of having prisons if every convicted criminal could just request for house arrest? Or only the political elites are eligible for house arrest after being convicted of serious crimes?

Malaysia has already been a global laughing stock after Najib’s sentence was halved, given he has not served even 25 percent of it. Is the government planning to tell the world that Malaysia’s legal system is obsolete in holding the wrongdoers accountable?

With all the uncertainties surrounding the issue, it is essential for the government to publicise the minutes of the Pardons Board meeting in January so that all Malaysians can know what was discussed back then.

This can also answer whether the “YDPA’s order” truly exists, or is it just another attempt by the government to politicise the rulers.

Najib’s crime has undergone due judicial process and he has exhausted all the legal means available to overturn his conviction. The Pardons Board has also exercised its power to reduce his sentence based on the law.

Thus, the government should not allow Najib’s issues to endlessly revolve around society. It is time to focus on other more significant problems plaguing the nation.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.