KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has taken an Opposition lawmaker to task for exploiting the royal addendum issue involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak for what the Prime Minister described as cheap political gain.
He said the law does not allow him to provide any explanation on the issue as it involves the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Pardons Board.
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"Does this lawyer (the Kota Baru MP) understand the law?
"Even if I want to answer, I cannot do so, to respect the courts. Don't you understand that?
"(He) is trying to create a cheap political stunt. And the hypocrisy is, suddenly he wants to be the champion for Najib," he said in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Dec 10).
Takiyuddin had asked the Prime Minister to reveal the purported existence of a royal addendum that would allow Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
Anwar also pointed out that the hearing in the Court of Appeal for Najib's case regarding the royal addendum has been scheduled for Jan 6.
"Is it reasonable for us to comment before the (hearing)? The answer is no, as Standing Order 23(1)(g) of the Dewan Rakyat prohibits it.
"Therefore, as stated by the Attorney General (AG), we should respect and place trust in the legal institution," he said.
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On Monday (Dec 9), the AG's Chambers advised all parties to refrain from making any statements that are sub judice and prejudicial relating to Najib's appeal over a purported addendum on his pardon that allowed him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
In a statement, it noted that the Court of Appeal fixed Jan 6 to hear Najib’s application to adduce further evidence, and another application over failure to gain leave for his judicial review over the addendum.
In the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, Anwar stressed that his involvement was limited to one meeting of the Pardons Board.
"What I can add is that my involvement was only in the initial meeting on Dec 8 last year.
"I attended that meeting and can comment on it because the issue of the addendum had not yet arisen at that time," he said.
The Prime Minister also revealed that he was the one who brought Najib's case to the attention of the Pardons Board last year.
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"Initially, it was not... (on) the agenda. At that time, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong did not include the application for Najib's pardon for consideration by the board.
"However, for the record, I presented it to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong then on the basis that every citizen or prisoner has the right to apply, and given Najib's position (as former prime minister), it was reasonable for it to be considered," said Anwar.
"The Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time gave His consent.
"So, there were 11 items on the agenda, 10 submitted by the Legal Affairs Division through the usual process, while for the 11th item, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who chaired the meeting, ordered me to present arguments regarding Najib's pardon's appeal," he added.
He also said he wanted to clarify the issue as it was being manipulated by certain parties.
"For the record, this was documented and minuted.
"In my view, regardless of whether we agree with the court's decision or someone's right to appeal, we cannot deny the right to be heard by the Pardons Board," he added.
Since the matter had been raised a few times, Anwar said he also presented it to the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong for His Majesty's consideration to refer to the Pardon's Board.
"When I was in Johor Baru recently, the matter was discussed briefly as Tuanku Agong wanted to know the latest developments.
"I will leave it to the authority of the King to refer it to the Pardons Board and give the best consideration," he said.
Najib, 71, is serving a six-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison after being convicted in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.
