KUALA LUMPUR - Allegations made by irresponsible parties against the government, claiming that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had committed treason by defying the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s addendum order, are merely intended to create confusion among the public, according to analysts.
Security and political analyst from the Media and Information Warfare Studies Centre of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, believes that the root of this issue lies in the reduction of the sentence of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak by the Federal Territories Pardons Board.
He said that the house arrest, however, is a different issue altogether.
"Therefore, whatever happens in our country, there will certainly be a form of transparency and assurance from the government to ensure that the elements related to the situation and the issue are clearly understood by the public within the framework of the law based on the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara," he told Bernama here.
Noor Nirwandy said that such confusion may occur when unrelated matters are sensationalised, and therefore, members of the public are urged to focus on the importance of the country's legal system functioning according to the legal process.
Meanwhile, Assoc Prof Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar from the Department of Political Science of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said that clarification from the palace and the government regarding this issue, in accordance with legal provisions, is necessary at this point since the matter is still under trial in the High Court.
"Whether the allegations are substantiated or not, we need clarification from both the palace and the government,” he said, adding that transparency in providing explanations to the public is crucial to resolving any confusion.
Yesterday, media reports stated that Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, through his "Minda Presiden Pas" post on Facebook, claimed that the actions of those who disregarded the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's addendum order regarding Najib were considered an act of treachery against the institution of the monarchy.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 majority decision, remitted Najib’s legal bid regarding his claim of the existence of a royal addendum allowing him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence under house arrest, to the High Court for a hearing on its merits.
Justices Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli and Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril allowed the former premier's appeal to overturn the High Court's dismissal of his application for leave to commence a judicial review on the matter.
However, Justice Datuk Azizah Nawawi, who led the panel, dissented stating Najib’s appeal had no merit. - BERNAMA