PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reiterated Umno's stance to pursue freeing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak from behind bars.
The Umno president said all of their actions moving forward, however, would be in respect of the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decision as it was his sole prerogative to grant the sentence reduction to Najib.
"We should respect the decision of the Pardons Board, chaired by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. This is aligned with Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution, where it is his sole prerogative power to grant a pardon, and everyone should respect it, including lawyers.
"Moving forward, we will take the necessary actions in law and all that is needed to defend Najib.
"We are in the direction of meeting Datuk Seri Najib's and his family's request for a full pardon, and all our actions would be in respect to the Agong," he said to reporters after the Rural and Regional Development Ministry's monthly meeting.
Last week, the Federal Territories Pardons Board reduced Najib's fine to RM50 million from RM210 million as well as halved his 12-year jail term to six.
Following that, Zahid chaired a special meeting with the Umno supreme council and division chiefs, during which they decided to pursue freeing and defend Najib.
Yesterday, Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah revealed that Najib's defence team was waiting for the right time to submit a fresh application for a full pardon.
He said Najib's first pardon application was put forth by his defence team shortly after his conviction by the Federal Court.
It was made on the basis that Najib did not receive a fair trial after the Federal Court refused to adjourn the appeal hearing when Najib appointed new lawyers to represent him.
However, he said the new application had sufficient grounds, including the "unclear processes" of the Pardons Board.
Najib was sentenced to a 12-year jail term after he was found guilty of one count of abuse of power with regard to Retirement Fund Inc's (KWAP) RM4 billion loan to SRC International Sdn Bhd, as well as three counts each of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving RM42 million of SRC funds.