I'm sorry too, says Amanah's Khalid after Umno anger over Najib pardon remarks

Amanah's Khalid Samad says he too has apologised to Umno following anger from the Malay party over his call against granting a royal pardon to jailed former leader Najib Razak.

"I agree and accept Salahuddin Ayub's statement because I did not intend to offend or hurt Umno. I have also apologised," Khalid said in a short message to MalaysiaNow.

He however added that his apology was for having a different stand. 

"It's more important to move on and focus on the coming state elections," he said.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin had earlier issued a public apology to Umno over Khalid's remarks.

"Sometimes we get carried away and there is no shame in apologising if we have hurt, and we hope this issue can be resolved. Myself, the Umno president, and just now as I visited the Umno deputy president, also said the same thing," Salahuddin was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

Khalid had defended his criticism of Umno's move to campaign for Najib's freedom by petitioning for a pardon from the Agong, saying it was not his personal opinion but a party stand.

This was later disputed by party chief Mohamad Sabu, who said the statement by the former Shah Alam MP, who is the party's communications director, was his personal view. 

Khalid said among others that a pardon for Najib would send a negative message to the people, the country's justice system and the entire world about Malaysia's attitude towards corruption and abuse of power. 

His remarks drew a strong reaction from Umno leaders, including Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi who lashed out at Amanah, labelling it as an untrustworthy friend in the current government.

It also prompted Kelantan Umno, set to become allies with Amanah in their bid to capture the PAS-held state at the coming polls, to demand a public apology from Khalid.