Rosmah Mansor denies involvement in royal pardon request for Najib Razak
In Kuala Lumpur, Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, stated that she has not been involved in the request for her husband’s royal pardon. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been seeking a pardon for Najib, who was convicted of corruption charges.
Rosmah made a rare public appearance and expressed her gratitude to UMNO members for their unwavering support and demands for justice for her husband during the party’s general assembly. She said, “I feel very moved by the support given by UMNO members who came to this AGM and I can feel how much they appreciate my husband’s struggle. They hope that my husband can be taken out as soon as possible and in their hearts all this time they know that my husband did not get a fair trial.”
When asked about the progress of Najib’s royal pardon, Rosmah stated, “That I did not interfere [with].” This comes as a surprise to many, as she has been closely associated with her husband’s political career and legal troubles. Najib was found guilty of corruption charges related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, which involved the misappropriation of billions of dollars from a state fund.
The former prime minister’s conviction has been a significant blow to the UMNO, which has been struggling to regain its footing in Malaysian politics since losing power in the 2018 general election. The party’s push for a royal pardon for Najib has been seen as an attempt to rehabilitate his image and restore the party’s credibility in the eyes of the public.
However, Rosmah’s statement distancing herself from the pardon request may signal a shift in the party’s strategy. It remains to be seen whether her public support for her husband and gratitude to UMNO members will have any impact on the outcome of the royal pardon request.
“I feel very moved by the support given by UMNO members who came to this AGM and I can feel how much they appreciate my husband’s struggle. They hope that my husband can be taken out as soon as possible and in their hearts all this time they know that my husband did not get a fair trial.”
In the meantime, Najib continues to serve his prison sentence, and his legal team is pursuing appeals against the conviction. The outcome of the royal pardon request and the ongoing appeals process will likely have significant implications for the future of Malaysian politics and the UMNO’s efforts to regain power.
