Around 300 Najib Supporters Stood Outside Istana Negara Requesting For His Royal Pardon
Meanwhile, Bersih has garnered over 70,000 signatures in an online petition requesting the Agong to deny any pardons.
Around 300 people gathered outside Istana Negara yesterday afternoon, 24 August, to urge the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to grant a royal pardon to Datuk Seri Najib Razak
The group, who called themselves 'Pertubuhan Jalinan Perpaduan Negara Malaysia', told reporters that they are seeking royal intervention from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah into the former prime minister's corruption conviction in the SRC scandal.
According to The Star, the group's leader Syed Muhammad Imran Syed Abdul Aziz had reportedly submitted a memorandum to palace officials.
Image via Sinar Harian
Besides the royal pardon, the group had several requests to free Najib from serving his 12-year prison sentence that was upheld by the Federal Court this week
The group wants Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and Attorney-General Idrus Harun to provide evidence to the King that there was an alleged conflict of interest involving judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who had meted out Najib's conviction and sentence in the High Court on 28 July 2020.
According to Harian Metro, the supporters also claimed it was unfair that Najib's bid to adduce further evidence in the recent trial in the Federal Court was rejected.
The majority of the supporters arrived at the Istana decked in black clothes at about 2pm and dispersed peacefully after the press conference was over.
Image via AP/Harian Metro
On the other hand, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) has started an online petition requesting the Agong to reject any opportunity to pardon Najib
As of writing, the petition, supporting that Najib should serve his sentence as he had already been given due process of a fair trial, has garnered over 77,000 signatures.
"As a nation, we must not tolerate corruption or the corrupt, whoever that person may be. Let Najib serve his 12 years in jail and pay the RM210 million fine to serve as an example to leaders who think they can abuse their position," read the appeal.
The politician was sent to jail on Tuesday, 23 August, after the Federal Court denied his appeal in the SRC International case:
Meanwhile, Najib has 14 days to file a pardon to keep his status as the Pekan member of parliament:
Here are more stories that followed in the wake of his imprisonment:
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