KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has warned the government against selectively respecting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s orders amid the controversy over Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s royal pardon.
He said upholding the monarchy was a constitutional responsibility, not a political choice.
“The government cannot be selective because the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is a pillar of the nation’s sovereignty.
“Preserving its dignity and sovereignty is not a political choice, but the constitutional responsibility of every government,” he said in a statement.
He said the government and all parties were obliged to implement royal decrees issued in accordance with the law, including those involving pardons, reprieves and reductions of sentences under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
He warned that any attempt to disregard, deny or undermine a lawful royal decree would constitute a serious act of defiance against the King and the country.
Earlier, Istana Negara said any attempt to dispute Najib’s conditional royal pardon would amount to defying the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s order.
The palace said Sultan Ibrahim had declared that all conditions imposed under the pardon had been fulfilled and that there was no basis for further dispute over its implementation.
It said the pardon, granted on Sept 18, was clear, explicit and unambiguous, and unrelated to any other cases involving Najib.
Under the conditional pardon, Najib was ordered to serve the remainder of his SRC International prison sentence under house arrest, subject to payment of a RM50 million fine.
The statement followed the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (A-GC) call yesterday for Najib’s house arrest to be temporarily deferred pending clarification of legal questions surrounding the pardon and a High Court order.
The A-GC said clarification was needed to determine whether payment of the fine fulfilled only the financial component of Najib’s SRC International sentence or meant that the entire sentence had been completed.
It said the interpretation could also affect the commencement of Najib’s separate prison sentence in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.
The A-GC maintained that the proposed deferment was not intended to challenge the King’s decree but to ensure that the pardon and related court orders were implemented correctly.
Najib’s RM50 million fine was paid in full at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday, but his lawyers subsequently confirmed that he remained in Kajang Prison.
His legal team has demanded his immediate transfer to house arrest, arguing that the A-GC has no authority to suspend a royal pardon.