Stop commenting, Zahid tells Amanah on protest over Najib pardon

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today urged all quarters to stop making inappropriate comments on the party’s bid to seek a pardon for former prime minister Najib Razak.

"Let’s leave the matter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as he has the prerogative. I do not welcome views from any organisations, what more from friendly political parties making inappropriate comments," he told reporters in Pontian.

He said this when asked to comment on the statement by Amanah communications director Khalid Samad, calling for a rejection of the application for a pardon for the former Umno president.

On April 9, Zahid was reported as saying that Umno's move to submit an application to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to consider a pardon for Najib was in accordance with legal procedure. He also denied that it was a form of political pressure.

Najib was jailed 12 years and fined RM210 million after being convicted of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.

Meanwhile, on the matter of seat allocations for the six state elections due this year, the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman said discussions at the state level had been held between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

"We will not take the approach of holding talks separately among component parties in the coalitions. Any negotiations must be between the two coalitions, BN and PH.

"All decisions made during discussions in these six states will be taken to the highest level where we will further deliberate on the suitable seats to be contested. And Insha Allah, once we have started this round of talks we will find the best way to determine winnable seats in the six states," he said.

The six states due to hold state elections this year are Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Terengganu.