House arrest for Najib would be a black mark in Malaysia's history - Muda

SHAH ALAM - Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz cautions that allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve his sentence under house arrest could reinforce perceptions of inequality, where ordinary Malaysians face strict laws while the powerful enjoy leniency.

In a video shared on her Instagram account, she highlighted that the sixth Prime Minister was convicted in not only one or two courts, but across all three levels of the judiciary: the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

"His crimes were far from minor. He was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power as Prime Minister and embezzlement of RM42 million.

"These are not petty crimes like stealing a tin of Milo, food for hungry children or diapers out of desperation. If Najib was allowed home detention, what message would that send?," she said.

Amira pointed out that the country once took pride in its firm stance against corruption, with the conviction of the former prime minister, serving as a powerful symbol of that commitment.

Now, she raised concerns over whether the country was sending a message that "no matter how much money is embezzled; status, power and reputation allow you to avoid facing the same consequences as ordinary citizens."

"Such a decision would be another black mark in our history. How long will double standards persist?

"Ordinary people face the full weight of the law, while the powerful enjoy leniency. What a disgrace," she said.

Yesterday, several political parties rallied in solidarity for the former prime minister, with events held in both Putrajaya and Batu Caves.

Thousands of his supporters gathered at these locations, calling for his release from prison.

Najib, 72, has been serving his six-year prison sentence since August 2022 after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Following his conviction, he submitted a petition for a Royal Pardon on Sept 2, the same year.

The Pardons Board subsequently reduced his sentence from 12 years to six years, along with a reduction of his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million, making him eligible for release by Aug 23, 2028.

The controversy now revolved around a royal addendum, which purportedly permitted Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

The addendum order was said to have been issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Yesterday, 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 to the High Court for a hearing on its merits.

Judges 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, judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi, who led the panel, dissented stating Najib’s appeal had no merit.