Lawyer-activist Latheefa Koya has challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to publicly state that he would oppose any move to get an early release for his predecessor, Najib Abdul Razak.
She issued the challenge after the prime minister berated those who criticised him for welcoming Najib’s apology over the 1MDB scandal.
“Is the prime minister prepared to publicly state that the government will oppose through all legal means at its disposal the early release of Najib from Kajang Prison, bearing in mind that the 1MDB case is the most scandalous theft of public money since Merdeka?” the former PKR member asked on X today.
Earlier today, Anwar said his actions (in accepting the apology) were about showing good leadership, particularly when the other party approached with goodwill.
“There are a few people, when I said something in response to Najib’s apology, they got angry and went imbecilic all over the place.
“When someone tenders an apology, don’t tell me I should reject it? What sort of behaviour is this?
“I’m the prime minister… ‘father of the nation’… when someone apologises, what else should I say? So, I just said I welcome it,” he was reported as saying.
Unimpressed with Anwar’s justification, Latheefa first reprimanded the former for calling himself the “father of the nation”, calling it a feudal concept which is not in the Constitution and is against the spirit of reform.
“Secondly, there are good reasons why social media/the internet exploded in anger when Anwar accepted Najib’s apology,” the former MACC chief commissioner stated.
Latheefa pointed out the government’s track record, given the reduction in Najib’s sentence and the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his corruption charges.
“So, Anwar must address these concerns, instead of labelling those who ask questions as ‘bebal’, ‘nitwit’ etc.” – Malaysiakini