KUALA LUMPUR: Umno division chiefs have been instructed to collect million signatures for a petition to obtain a full pardon for former prime minister and former party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
A source who attended the meeting said the directive was given by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during the special closed-door meeting with the division chiefs today.
"The division chiefs were asked to collect a million signatures to be sent to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. This was one of the directives in the meeting," the source said.
The New Straits Times has attempted to confirm the matter with Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Adam.
However he kept mum on the issue, saying only that the division chiefs stood in support of any efforts to pardon Najib.
"Umno fully supports all efforts for Najib to apply for a pardon from the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Sultan Ibrahim)," he said briefly when contacted.
Zahid chaired a special closed-door meeting with 145 Umno division chiefs for almost two hours.
The Umno Supreme Council also held a meeting yesterday before reaching a resolution to continue efforts to seek defence for Najib.
Among others, Umno would launch a nationwide campaign to appeal to His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to consider granting Najib a full pardon.
It was reported earlier this week that the Federal Territories Pardons Board had reduced Najib's fine from RM210 million to RM50 million, as well as halving his 12-year jail term in his conviction for three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one charge of abusing his position on SRC International funds totalling RM42 million.
The decision however did not go down well with several Umno leaders who felt that the former Pekan member of parliament should be granted a full pardon.