Anwar rejects claims he facilitated Najib's conditional pardon

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pushed back against suggestions that he orchestrated a conditional pardon for former Prime Minister Najib Razak, stressing instead the proper constitutional procedures that guide such decisions. Anwar's comments come as questions swirl around the fate of the scandal-plagued ex-premier, who has been serving a 12-year jail sentence related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. According to Anwar, the pardons board possesses the constitutional authority to evaluate pardon applications independently, taking into account submissions from the government and other relevant parties. The prime minister emphasized that while the government may present its views to the board, the ultimate decision-making power rests exclusively with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch. Anwar's clarification underscores the division of responsibilities in Malaysia's constitutional framework, where the executive, judiciary, and the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong maintain distinct jurisdictions over matters of mercy and clemency.