'Government is responsible, not the King' - Latheefa Koya

SHAH ALAM - Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya criticised the statement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding house arrest decisions being Royal Decrees.

She said that such decisions were the responsibility of the government, including Cabinet ministers and the Attorney General.

“The Prime Minister claims it is a royal decree. It is not. It is a decision of the Pardon Board, which includes Cabinet ministers and the Attorney General.

"The government is responsible, not the King," she said in an X post on Monday.

On Sunday, it was reported that Anwar stressed that the government would not question the decisions made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) and the Malay Rulers on any issue, including the application by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak regarding house arrests.

He, who is also the Finance Minister, said discussions on the matter involved two parties, namely the Federal Territories Pardons Board and the YDPA.

Meanwhile, Latheefa also reiterated that house arrest punishment had never existed in the legal system because it was not provided for in Article 42 of the Federal Constitution or the Prison Act.

"It is contrary to the rule of law. If Najib is released for house arrest, then corruption will be legitimised and Malaysia will sink to a level of economic and political instability," she said.

Earlier, Najib, 70, filed an application in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to obtain leave for judicial review to challenge the existence of the Additional Decree or additional decree of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA).

The Additional Decree was for the former Prime Minister to undergo a six-year home imprisonment.

Following that, Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi filed an affidavit as a 'critical witness' vowing an affidavit in support of Najib's application for leave for judicial review to challenge the existence of the Additional Decree.