DPM Zahid: Tony Pua’s Facebook posts criticising Pardon Board’s decision does not reflect DAP’s view

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said comments made by DAP’s Tony Pua in relation to the Pardons Board’s recent decision to halve the sentence of convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak does not reflect the party’s view.

Zahid, who is also the minister of rural and regional development, said DAP leaders must advise Pua to retract and apologise for his comments.

“There is no legal action from any political party against Pakatan Harapan members, but we examine the ‘antagonistic’ opinions of certain individuals in the organisation, even in Umno there are people like that. However, as long as it is not issued by a high office holder or party leader, we do not consider it as their official opinion.

“I only ask that the leader of the party reprimand the relevant party members to retract, delete the postings and apologise for his remarks,” he told reporters.

Zahid said he cannot stop Umno members from lodging police reports against Pua as it is the party’s position to uphold justice for Najib.

“As a coalition, we must tolerate differences of opinion but we still have respect for the party’s main leadership because it has become the party’s position.

“I also cannot prevent wing leaders and party members from making a police report against the individual who made a statement that is not a reflection of the party,” he added.

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the police have opened an investigation over Pua’s remarks.

He said that Pua is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Razarudin said Pua’s comments that he shared via Facebook are deemed as inciting the public to despise the royal institution when the decision was the Agong’s prerogative to make under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.

Najib had initially received a 12-year prison sentence and a RM210 million fine for abuse of power, breach of trust, and money laundering related to RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

In the official statement on behalf of the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs Division as the board’s secretariat said the decision was made following a January 29 meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

It said the Pardons Board meeting, which was chaired by then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had considered five pardons applications, including the one from Najib.

Under the Federal Constitution, the Agong chairs the meetings of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories, which comprises the attorney general, the Federal Territories minister, and a maximum of three other members appointed by the Agong.