Zaid flays Umno for not 'selling' Najib's pardon bid

Zaid flays Umno for not 'selling' Najib's pardon bid


Lawyer Zaid Ibrahim has criticised Umno for failing to convince the public why former premier Najib Abdul Razak deserved a pardon.

"They did not make any effort to suggest they are serious about the pardon.

“There was no elaboration on mitigating circumstances which would make a pardon appropriate, what issues that should be taken into account for a pardon, among others.

"Nothing at all. They just promised their members they will do everything for Najib.

"That is why Umno will not do well in the coming election. Members will be asking what promises will Umno give this time that they will keep," said Zaid, who is an Umno member and briefly served as Najib's lawyer.

Zaid said Umno's top brass’ only course of action was to petition the Yang di-Pertuan Agong but the grounds of the petition were never revealed.

In contrast, he added, former US president Barack Obama explained reasons for commuting the 35-year jail sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked military secrets.

"(Former US president Gerald) Ford pardoned (Richard) Nixon because he wanted national reconciliation.

“He accepted that Congress was correct to impeach (Nixon) but felt a pardon was necessary.

"(Former South African presidents Nelson) Mandela and (FW de) DeClerk granted amnesty to those who committed crimes during apartheid for national rebuilding," wrote Zaid on his Twitter account.

Zaid’s comments on the pardon process came amidst the revelation that a MACC probe found no evidence of criminal offence by Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, the High Court judge who handed Najib a 12-year prison sentence and RM210 million fine.

This was revealed at the Dewan Negara yesterday by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to a question from Senator Kesavadas A Achyuthan Nair (Harapan).

During the appeal stage, Najib's defence team relied heavily on the suggestion that Nazlan should not hear the case because he had a conflict of interest.

Eventually, the Federal Court dismissed the argument. Nazlan is currently serving as a judge in the Court of Appeal.