KANGAR: Only those who truly know Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would understand that the Umno president constantly works to try to obtain a full pardon for his predecessor, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said a study by non-governmental organisation Ilham Centre which said support for Zahid among party grassroots members was diminishing because he had failed to obtain the full pardon was therefore inaccurate.
"That is the answer you (the study) will get if you ask those who (truly) know (Zahid). They will say that the president has tried and is always trying (to get a full pardon for Najib).
"Umno will never conduct any study on this (support for the president), but we are always, as we have been all this while, work towards getting a full pardon for Datuk Seri Najib," he said.
Ahmad was speaking to reporters after attending a discussion with the Perlis Umno liaison committee at a hotel in Bintong, here, last night.
Also present was Umno Perlis deputy chariman Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya dan its secretary, Ruzaini Rais.
Ahmad said Umno was banking on getting a pardon for Najib based on two reasons.
"The first reason is that during the whole trial process, right up to the judicial review conducted by the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli, it showed that Rahman himself, as the leader of the panel, did not agree with the other four judges.
"In fact, Rahman at the time had said Najib should be freed and that he did not get a fair trial throughout the time in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.
"The second reason is that he (Najib) had contributed much to the country, not just as prime minister, but from the time he was aged just 23, when he first became a member of parliament, after the death of his father, Tun Abdul Razak... he was a deputy minister, Pahang menteri besar, helmed various ministries, a depity prime minister and finally, prime minister."
Ahmad, who is deputy works minister and Pontian MP, said an appeal for a full pardon would definitely be made to the current King, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim.
"I understand that it is in the process. Of course, the appeal has to come from Najib's family and his lawyers."