PH Reaffirms Tough Stance on Corruption
Malaysia’s ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), has reiterated that people convicted of corruption and abuse of power—particularly in major, high-profile cases—should serve the full prison terms imposed by the courts.
The coalition’s statement comes as reports emerge that former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has submitted a fresh request for a royal pardon. Najib has been imprisoned since 2022 following his conviction in a corruption case connected to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Although PH did not name Najib directly, its comments have been widely viewed against the backdrop of an expected meeting of Malaysia’s Pardons Board.
The coalition said maintaining the rule of law requires judicial proceedings to be allowed to proceed independently and without creating the impression that outside considerations have influenced the process.
Najib’s Prison Sentence and New Clemency Request
Najib, who served as Malaysia’s prime minister for nine years until 2018, was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted over the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit, into his personal accounts.
A royal pardon in 2024 reduced his sentence to six years and cut his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million. Najib subsequently sought to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, but his legal effort was unsuccessful.
The former premier was later convicted in a separate 1MDB-related case in December 2025. He received another 15-year prison sentence and a substantial financial penalty after being found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering charges. He has appealed that conviction.
Reports indicate that the Federal Territories Pardons Board, chaired by King Sultan Ibrahim, could discuss Najib’s latest clemency application at a meeting scheduled for Sept. 11. It remains unclear whether the board will make a decision at that meeting or simply consider the request.
Najib Issue Exposes Tensions Within Malaysia’s Government
The latest developments have also highlighted tensions between PH and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Najib’s former political party and a key component of Malaysia’s unity government.
UMNO secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki criticized PH’s position, arguing that the coalition should not appear to question the constitutional authority of the king to grant pardons.
Asyraf also pointed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s own royal pardon in 2018, asking why different standards should apply to other convicted individuals. Anwar had been serving a prison sentence at the time and has maintained that the charges against him were politically motivated.
A new decision involving Najib could therefore create further political pressure on Anwar’s government, which has already faced disagreements over corruption reforms and the former premier’s treatment.
Malaysia’s next general election is not required until early 2028, although Anwar has previously indicated that an earlier election could be considered if divisions within the governing coalition deepen.
