September 8, 2022
KUALA LUMPUR – As Datuk Seri Najib Razak begins his 12-year jail sentence, he is banking on two final attempts to keep his Pekan parliamentary seat.
The former premier has sought a review of the Federal Court decision to uphold his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case and has also applied for a royal pardon.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun said he had been served with notice on the royal pardon appeal on Sept 2, which was well within the 14-day period from the day of the Federal Court’s dismissal of Najib’s appeal on Aug 23.
“With regards to the Federal Court review, I only read it in the news.
“I have yet to be served with any notice on this matter,” he said at the Concorde Club forum here yesterday.
The Concorde Club forum, which was attended by Star Media Group adviser Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, is an informal group of media editors and senior journalists.
The club meets monthly with politicians and key policy makers.
Azhar, also known as Art Harun, exchanged views with the senior journalists on the practices and procedures of the Dewan Rakyat.
He also explained the various rules for MPs.
The Dewan Rakyat will next convene on Oct 3 while the tabling of Budget 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat has been brought forward to Oct 7 from the scheduled Oct 28.
There is strong speculation that Parliament may be dissolved after the Finance Minister tables the Budget.
The motion to review Najib’s Federal Court decision was filed by the legal firm headed by senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
In the application, Najib is seeking a review of the Aug 16 decision by the Federal Court to reject his application to adduce further evidence concerning the trial judge in the SRC case, Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
The former prime minister is also seeking a review of the apex court’s decision to dismiss his bid to postpone his appeal hearing and also a review of the court’s decision on Aug 23 to reject Najib’s application to recuse Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
The Pekan MP is also seeking a review of the court’s decision to affirm his conviction and sentence. He is seeking a panel of seven judges.However, before a review can be heard, Najib will have to first gain leave from the Federal Court.
A review can be heard under Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules where the court could use its inherent jurisdiction to hear any application or to make any order as may be necessary to prevent injustice or to prevent an abuse of the court process.
However, it is extremely rare for the apex court to grant leave for a review as the threshold is high and the applicant will have to show that injustice has been done.
Najib still faces four other cases related to graft at state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd and various government agencies.