BUKIT MERTAJAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has come forward to explain the royal addendum.
Speaking at the Muhibbah Madani 2025 programme, Anwar said he needed to explain the matter as there were many slanders (fitnah) being spread about it.
He said he did not want to comment on the matter before this as it involved the royalty.
"All I can say is that we did not hide the addendum.
"The people need to understand the law," he said.
Anwar said that anyone who had been sentenced to prison could appeal to the Sultan of the state after three years or to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, in the case of Kuala Lumpur. He said the Pardons Board would decide on whether or not it could be done.
He said in the Pardons Board meeting, details would be presented, including health reports, prison reports, the Attorney General's case report, and police reports regarding any other criminal cases. He said the King or the Sultan would hear all of this and make a decision, whether to reduce the sentence or reject it.
"In the case of (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak), during last year's meeting, was the issue raised in the agenda? No, it was not. Who raised it? I did. Why did I raise it? Because whether I agreed or disagreed with that person, we gave the King the opportunity to make a decision. Do not, because we do not agree, one cannot even submit an appeal. The appeal was submitted. In the meeting, I brought it up. If I had not raised it, it would not have been in the agenda and the issue of the addendum would not have come up.
"The reason I brought it up was because I clarified that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was the one who presided over the case. I did not want to mention it because it involved the royalty. It could not be debated because it involved the royalty. That was why I could not answer because it involved the previous and current King," he added, noting he just presented the facts.
Anwar said his presentation involved why he (Najib) was in prison, the sentence, the public issue and the new unresolved cases, among others.
"Why should it be considered? He was once the prime minister, the Menteri Besar, and had contributed to the country. His condition in prison is good with no major issues. His health is generally fine, though he occasionally visited the hospital. That was my complete view.
"It is up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to decide. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong postponed the decision twice until last January. In January, the sentence was reduced from RM210 million fine to RM50 million, and the prison sentence from 12 years to six years.
"I am not a member of the Pardons Board now. I was a member before 2023 when I served as the Minister of Federal Territories. After that, I appointed Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who attended the meeting. I did not.
"So, the decision was sent to the Prison Department, and that was the sentence," he said.
Anwar said thereafter was the issue of the addendum. He said the letter was delivered to the A-GC (Attorney-General's Chambers), not to him or the members of the Pardons Board. "And when the King changed, it was handed to the National Palace because the King presided over the matter.
"That is the situation. It is not something we are hiding. The decision was simply an advisory from the AG to the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which I attended at that time. Any decision made was the absolute decision of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, but within the Pardons Board's meeting, not outside it.
"So, was it raised in the meeting? When Zaliha was there, this issue was not raised. It was not hidden. That is all for now. Can an appeal still be made? Yes, to the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The King has said so, and there is a statement from the King regarding the appeal to the Sultan. That is the regulation.