How do we fight corruption if some 'elitists' get 'discounts'?: PKR MP
Hariz Mohd
Published: Jan 21, 2026 2:13 PM
Updated: 5:26 PM
PARLIAMENT | A veteran PKR MP today asked how the country can hope to fight corruption when certain "elitists" can get "discounts" on their punishment despite being convicted in court.
Hassan Abdul Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang) raised the question when debating a motion of thanks on Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s royal decree, where the monarch expressed his wish to see an all-out war against corruption in the country.
"This call has rightly come from our king. If His Majesty does not say this, then who else?
"But Tuanku, please forgive me for saying this here. How are we going to go all out in fighting corruption if certain elitists, some top leaders in our country, who, after being found guilty in court, were later given some discounts?
"This is wrong. From one angle, we want to go to war against corruption, but from another angle, we let go (of people convicted of corruption) by giving them discounts," he said in his speech.
Published: Jan 21, 2026 2:13 PM
Updated: 5:26 PM
PARLIAMENT | A veteran PKR MP today asked how the country can hope to fight corruption when certain "elitists" can get "discounts" on their punishment despite being convicted in court.
Hassan Abdul Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang) raised the question when debating a motion of thanks on Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s royal decree, where the monarch expressed his wish to see an all-out war against corruption in the country.
"This call has rightly come from our king. If His Majesty does not say this, then who else?
"But Tuanku, please forgive me for saying this here. How are we going to go all out in fighting corruption if certain elitists, some top leaders in our country, who, after being found guilty in court, were later given some discounts?
"This is wrong. From one angle, we want to go to war against corruption, but from another angle, we let go (of people convicted of corruption) by giving them discounts," he said in his speech.
While Hassan did not go into details, it is believed that he was referring to a decision by the Pardons Board to slash former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s prison sentence in the SRC international case from 12 years to six years and reduce his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
The High Court meted out the sentence after Najib was convicted in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case. The Court of Appeal and Federal Court subsequently upheld the decision.
Double standards
Hassan criticised the authorities' alleged double standards when investigating and prosecuting corruption suspects, especially in cases that involve pro-government politicians.
He also made a veiled swipe at the Attorney-General's Chambers, which withdrew its 47 charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in 2023, before deciding to drop them altogether earlier this month.
"Secondly, there were also those among elitists and many country leaders, in the past and present, who got a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) for their (criminal) cases.
"But not enough with that, some are even given NFA, or no further action.
"I sympathise with MACC officers who have been working hard to investigate the cases," he added.
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