MCA thanks King over Najib’s pardon, pledges to uphold constitutional supremacy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — MCA has expressed its gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, for granting a conditional royal pardon to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In a statement today, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that honouring the Pardons Board’s decision does not negate the courts' earlier conviction of Najib, just as respecting judicial verdicts does not diminish the King’s constitutional prerogative to grant clemency.

Both avenues, he noted, represent fundamental components of Malaysia’s constitutional architecture.

“MCA expresses our utmost gratitude for the royal assent granted by His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, regarding the conditional pardon of Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” Wee said.

Wee affirmed that MCA will continue to champion the Supremacy of the Constitution and the Rule of Law as enshrined in the Rukun Negara, while upholding the constitutional monarchy as a vital pillar of the federation.

He added that the party remains resolute that national institutions must be honoured, the law upheld, and institutional integrity safeguarded.

The statement follows an announcement by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department confirming that Sultan Ibrahim consented to grant Najib a conditional pardon.

The decree allows the former premier to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to settling a RM50 million fine, following the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board at Istana Negara.

Earlier, DAP announced an emergency Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting for tomorrow to deliberate its formal position.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke previously underlined the immense financial legacy of the 1MDB scandal, citing Finance Ministry data showing RM51.4 billion in state-borne liabilities, while insisting that judicial findings on corruption must never be sidelined.

Speaking after Friday prayers in Putrajaya, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reiterated that the royal clemency does not dilute the government’s determination to eradicate corruption, noting that while his role was to advise on legal parameters and national stability, final discretion rests exclusively with the King.