Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah urged the party’s top leadership to reconsider Umno’s position in the unity government after the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed former prime minister Najib Razak’s judicial review bid to serve the remainder of his SRC International sentence under house arrest.
Tengku Razaleigh, popularly known as Ku Li, said the ruling undermined Umno’s struggle to uphold the sovereignty of the Malay rulers, adding that those holding government posts should also consider relinquishing them so the party can reunite and reassess its stance.
He said Umno should not rely on others and must adhere to its own constitution and regulations, arguing there was no point continuing the party’s struggle solely for positions.
His remarks came after Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said Umno should consider reviewing its cooperation with those who did not appreciate the party’s contributions, following a social media post by DAP’s Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin celebrating the High Court decision.
Ku Li also called for Umno’s top leaders to hold discussions and reach a resolution that would satisfy all levels of the party, saying he had not heard of such plans.
He said many Umno members were disappointed with the decision involving Najib, a former Umno president, and added that efforts should continue to secure Najib’s release, including seeking a fresh pardon from the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The High Court dismissed Najib’s bid to serve his reduced six-year jail term for his SRC International conviction under house arrest, saying there were no legal mechanisms for it.
Najib, 72, was convicted of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds and has been in Kajang prison since Aug 23, 2022. In 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board halved his jail term from 12 years to six and reduced his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
A judicial review was filed last year seeking to compel the government to execute a royal addendum to place him under house arrest.
In a statement yesterday, the Attorney-General’s Chambers rejected claims that the dismissal of Najib’s judicial review application over the addendum diminished the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Malay rulers, or governors in pardon matters.
Slug:
kuli-umno-rethink-unity-government-after-najib-house-arrest-judicial-review-dismissed
Keywords:
Umno unity government review,Najib house arrest judicial review,Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling,SRC International conviction,royal addendum,AGC statement,
Synopsis:
Tengku Razaleigh urged Umno to reassess its position in the unity government after the High Court dismissed Najib’s house arrest judicial review, while the AGC rejected claims the ruling weakens royal pardon powers.
