Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has urged DAP ministers to resign from the Cabinet if they cannot respect the king’s decision on Najib Razak’s conditional pardon and house arrest.
The former minister questioned whether DAP respected the king only when his decisions were in the party’s favour.
Khairy questions DAP’s consistency
Khairy recalled how the then king’s intervention helped resolve the political deadlock following the 2022 general election, paving the way for the formation of the unity government and Anwar Ibrahim’s appointment as prime minister.
“At the time, everyone insisted that the king’s decree must be respected. So does respect for the king apply only when his decisions favour us?” he said, according to Berita KS.
Khairy said he was not asking anyone to defend Najib or support his pardon, but stressed that political differences should not be a reason to disrespect the king.
“All I ask for is consistency. If we defend the constitution, we must defend it in its entirety. If we respect the constitutional monarchy, we must do so regardless of who benefits from a decision.”
Questions Malaysian Bar’s challenge
Khairy also questioned the Malaysian Bar’s decision to challenge Najib’s house arrest in court, asking who had authorised it to act on behalf of the legal profession.
He also criticised former Damansara MP Tony Pua over his suggestion that questions about Najib’s house arrest should be directed to the palace.
Pua had said the king made it clear that the decision to grant Najib a pardon was his alone, although the government had provided its views.
Khairy, however, cited Anwar’s statement in the Dewan Rakyat on Dec 10, 2024, when the prime minister said he had personally raised Najib’s earlier pardon request at a Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting.
The former Rembau MP said this showed that the government had played a role in the matter and should also be subject to scrutiny.
Najib’s house arrest takes effect
Najib’s house arrest took effect on Tuesday after the High Court issued a fresh order, annulling a previous discharge order made last week.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook subsequently stepped down as transport minister.
Loke had announced his resignation in September, saying it was intended to convey DAP’s position on Najib’s conditional pardon.
