Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s SRC International corruption case continues to hog centre stage, despite the apex court dismissing his application to review his conviction, en route to nailing the last nail in the proverbial coffin.
But politicians and law practitioners aligned with the former prime minister are trying to pry open that coffin – thereby releasing the rancid stench of corruption and money laundering – through the petitioning for a royal pardon.
Something sinister seems to be afoot, in the collusion of contrived incidents that elevated Najib’s SRC conviction and the failure of his judicial review to a
national concern, portraying him as a victim of political persecution.
He has gone through all due process, marked by drama, stall tactics, and inconsistencies. The High Court convicted him, the Appellate and Federal Courts upheld the conviction unanimously, while the final review by the Federal Court dismissed his application with a 4-1 majority.
An ordinary man accused of a much lesser crime would have been incarcerated, for he would not have the financial resources to ascend to the Federal Court. And he would not even think of seeking a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as no one would take him seriously.
Almost all would agree that he be incarcerated after going through the process.
But Najib, with political tentacles reaching various levels, will not submit to the tenets of retributive justice.
It would be a travesty of justice and a mockery of the judicial system for him to be granted a pardon at this juncture.
What is mind-boggling is that the Umno Supreme Council has endorsed the petition and will make representations to the Agong to seek a pardon for Najib.
It is common knowledge that the moral and ethical positions of these politicians on the rule of law are subservient to political imperatives.
In general, politicians are not enamoured, or bound by such principles. They are only concerned with political gains and have no qualms about transgressing moral, ethical, or religious values and constraints to achieve their objectives. Thus, the move to free Najib.
These politicians – who have sworn to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution, and to discharge their duties with integrity, underlined by ethical and moral principles – have reneged on their oath. Just to free a convicted criminal for political expediency.
Such a move ignores the irreparable damage Najib has done to the country, and compromises the future of the next, and subsequent generations.
One wonders how the Umno Supreme Council could not discern what is gospel and what is apocrypha, in Najib’s SRC conviction.
They question the integrity of the eminent judges who found him guilty, and disregard a majority decision, latching on to a single, dissenting judgment.
Something macabre is brewing that will undermine the independence of the judiciary and rule of law, and impact Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s quest to eradicate corruption.
Greed for power and material gains is the bane of accountable, ethical, and morally upright governance. We need closure to such shenanigans.
The worst part is that the common man has no recourse to their lawmakers (elected representatives) who merely indulge in rhetoric and self-aggrandisement.
Najib has gone through due process and has been given every opportunity to defend himself. The highest court in the land has upheld his conviction and he now must serve his time, in line with retributive justice.
The question of pardoning him should not have arisen, much less be given validity.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
