Ahmad Zahid: Umno to start petition drive for Najib’s royal pardon, ‘weaponise’ ex-PM’s Facebook posts

Umno members holding up placards in support of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib during the Umno special briefing for divisional committee members and leaders at Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTCKL), August 27, 2022. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

By Radzi Razak

Saturday, 27 Aug 2022 8:26 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party would be organising a petition drive to push for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s royal pardon.

He said all branch and division members would be instructed to participate to show their support for their former president who was incarcerated last week.

“We need to be ready and support the royal pardon petition campaign when the time comes.

“We leave it to the wisdom of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to evaluate and implement it later,” said Ahmad Zahid during his special briefing for Umno members today.

Ahmad Zahid said that was one of four measures that party members would be undertaking after the briefing.

He also said Najib’s Facebook posts would be compiled and published.

“The thought and spirit of this writing must be polished and used constantly as a ‘live’ weapon that Umno can deploy against our political enemies.

“Umno members should also each write a note and give words of encouragement and thanks to him (Najib).

“The headquarters will collect them into a letter from the people to give him solace during his confinement,” he said.

Among the other speakers at the event today were Najib’s children Datuk Mohd Nizar Najib and Nooryana Najwa Najib, as well as Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Nooryana shared her last interaction with her father before he was sent to prison, during which he handed her a tie.

“He told me, ‘Please keep this tie for me. I love this tie’,” she said while holding up the accessory.

Meanwhile, Nizar, who has been touted as a replacement for his father in the Pekan parliamentary constituency, said that while expected, it was still hard for the family to accept the court’s decision.

“It felt like we had been kicked and slapped many times. That was how painful it was for us,” he said.

He said his family would remain strong in the face of Najib’s jailing.