The power to punish and pardon should not be used arbitrarily because it will be held accountable in the “afterlife”, said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“If the law is not implemented consistently and fairly, justice will certainly not be achieved as the philosophy behind the enactment of a law would have been tainted, and as a result, the disadvantaged party would end up being victimised by those in power,” Bernama quoted His Majesty saying when officiating the opening of the Pahang Syariah Court Complex in Kuantan today.
The king further said that Islamic justice does not give any privilege or exception to anyone who commits wrongdoing, be it oneself, close friends, family members or parents.
“The principle of justice that is transparent also succeeds in developing a just, fair and prosperous society. The principle of justice according to Islam is upholding God’s trust.
“Based on the same principle, Syariah courts must also be wise in using discretionary powers and to be always fair to all parties when sentencing, especially those involving family cases.”
The RM44.75 million court complex, officially named Kompleks Syariah Al-Sultan Abdullah, began construction on June 22, 2015, and was completed on Sept 23, 2021.
Also gracing the event were the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Sultan Abdullah.
The king further reminded Syariah judges to ensure cases are handled fairly and for judgments not to be delayed and urged them to conduct a detailed study on punishments in the form of community service for wrongdoers who commit crimes that are not too serious.
Meanwhile, Amanah vice-president Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus lauded the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his statement and expressed confidence that His Majesty would consider the same when it comes to the royal pardon petition by former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
“We are confident that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will uphold the principle when deciding in all matters, as the head of the country, for the sake of the nation and its people,” said Hasanuddin, who is also Hulu Langat MP.
Najib is currently serving 12 years in jail for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering linked to RM42 million from SRC International. He was also fined RM210 million as part of his sentence.
He had filed a petition for a royal pardon on Sept 2 and his status as the Pekan MP would depend on the outcome of the petition. – Malaysiakini