Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lead counsel took a jab at the Malaysian Bar today on their recent statement questioning the Pardons Board’s decision to commute the former prime minister’s sentence.
Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said he was not surprised by the Malaysian Bar and its president, Karen Cheah Yee Lynn, for being completely ignorant about this issue.
“The Bar Council’s recent press release is a total disappointment as it is full of rhetoric and no substance.
“They talk of due process but failed to recognise the total lack of due process when Najib’s new counsel was not given sufficient and reasonable time to prepare for the final submission.
“The Bar did not even address Federal Court Judge Tan Sri Rahman Sebli’s clear dissenting view, especially in the context of certain murder cases in the Federal Court.
“The Bar Council is ignorant of the law relating to Royal Prerogative of mercy in relation to pardon,” he said in a press conference today.
Shafee said Royal Pardon was an absolute and unqualified power and discretion, and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong need not accept the opinion or advice of the members of the Board.
Earlier, Cheah in a statement calls for reform in Malaysia’s institutions, specifically the Pardons Board itself.
Cheah said that to prevent the influence of the Executive and ensure independence in the pardons process, the government’s role in the Pardons Board should be reduced if not” completely eliminated.”
“To this end, an amendment is required to remove the influence of the Attorney General and the Federal Territories Minister or Chief Ministers of States in the Pardons Board and to appoint independent persons to the Pardons Board to ensure inclusivity in terms of expressions from the public,” she said.
Cheah said a further reform to the Pardons Board would be to introduce safeguards that ensure such power is exercised sparingly as well as within clear boundaries and established circumstances or categories. – NST