No reason for him to support PH, says Najib loyalist as PN seeks to debate 'royal addendum'

A key ally of Najib Razak has sharply criticised Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs who support Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after the opposition today sought to debate on the "royal addendum" in which the former Agong is said to have ordered that the jailed former prime minister serve the remainder of his reduced sentence under house arrest.

Former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil said the opposition's move was in contrast to the silence of "pro-Zahid" MPs when it comes to defending their former boss, who is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison.

Isham said the fact that Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs are now urging the government to come clean on the existence of the "royal addendum", which was confirmed in an affidavit filed by Najib's son last week, shows that the opposition is more concerned about the fate of the former leader.

"PAS MPs have signed the motion moved by Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan to discuss the issue of the royal addendum in the Dewan Rakyat today.

"Meanwhile, the MPs who support Zahid have remained silent and are afraid to speak out," Isham told MalaysiaNow.

Takiyuddin has written to Dewan Rakyat speaker, Johari Abdul, requesting that a motion on the royal addendum be debated.

He questioned the government for neither denying nor confirming the existence of the document.

"The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree was issued in exercise of his constitutional powers and must be implemented by the government.

"The matter is in the public interest because failure to implement a decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong amounts to treason and may trigger a constitutional crisis," Takiyuddin said.

Isham said it was becoming increasingly clear that PKR and DAP were not interested in Najib's fate.

"In fact, they are against Najib being placed under house arrest. So why would Najib logically want to support PH? PH does not support him and is in fact against putting him under house arrest," he added.

In an affidavit filed on Dec 5 ahead of Najib's appeal on the existence of the royal addendum, his son Nizar Najib said he was personally informed of the decree by former Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The High Court had earlier ruled that affidavits of Zahid and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, about being told of the existence of the Agong's decree that Najib be put under house arrest, were hearsay.

The former prime minister's future continues to threaten the fragile coalition between Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH), almost two years after they joined forces to form the government after the 2022 general election.

At the recent BN convention, MCA president Wee Ka Siong criticised the coalition for failing to stand up for Najib's plight in the wake of the revelation on the existence of the royal addendum.

"Does it really exist or not?

"This is about BN's integrity. Do prisoners not have rights?" asked Wee.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution had referred to the High Court's ruling that the document was hearsay, but stopped short of confirming or denying its existence.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had tried to distance himself from the controversy.

Since he began his prison sentence on Aug 23, 2022, Umno leaders have been lobbying for a royal pardon like the one granted to Anwar which allowed the PKR leader's release from prison in 2018 where he had been serving time for sodomy and lifted his ban from active politics.

Calls for a royal pardon grew after Zahid brought his Umno MPs to join forces with PH as Najib loyalists, who still hold great influence in the party, felt that Anwar should reward Umno for supporting PH and enabling him to fulfil his prime ministerial ambitions.

After months of speculation and pressure on the government, the Pardons Board announced that Najib's prison sentence would be reduced to six years and his fine to RM50 million which, if paid, would get him another year off.

Najib was fined RM210 million and sentenced to 12 years in jail for criminal breach of trust, power abuse and money laundering over charges of embezzling RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.

His lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has accused the government of concealing the addendum.

"Why did they conceal the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's order when you (were) authorised to expose it? They should expose and enforce it,” he had said.

Meanwhile, another lawyer, Haniff Khatri Abdulla, warned that concealing the royal order could amount to treason.

He said the authorities should have at least acknowledged the order and, if they disagreed, appealed to the Agong to revoke it.

"This cannot just be covered up," Haniff said.