Not Amanah’s stand, says Mat Sabu on call to reject Najib’s pardon

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu says anyone can give their opinion but the party will comply with Pakatan Harapan’s position on any issue.

(FMT) – Amanah president Mohamad Sabu says the call by his party’s communications director Khalid Samad for Najib Razak’s bid for a royal pardon to be rejected does not represent the party’s stance.

Mohamad, or Mat Sabu as he is popularly known, said everyone had a right to offer his or her opinion as enshrined under the Federal Constitution.

“However, in an organisational context, the views of individuals do not represent the organisation or party unless an official decision was reached in a meeting,” he said in a statement.

Likewise, he said Amanah members have the right to air their opinions, but they are still subject to the party’s decisions.

“This is normal practice in any organisation,” he added.

Mohamad stressed that all component parties in Pakatan Harapan (PH) are subject to the coalition’s decision and that it will prevail in the event of any conflict.

“The same goes for the unity government today. The decision at the multi-coalition level must override any decision by individual parties or political pacts formed,” he said.

Mohammad urged all sides to leave it up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to decide on the former prime minister’s application for a royal pardon.

Yesterday, Kelantan Umno demanded that Khalid issue a public apology to the party for calling for Najib’s pardon application to be rejected.

The chapter’s information chief Zawawi Othman said Kelantan Umno would consider not working with Amanah in the upcoming state polls should Khalid, who is also interim Kelantan Amanah chairman, refuse to retract his statement.

In response, Khalid said there was no need for him to apologise or retract any statement as he was only conveying the party’s stance on the matter.

He also said he was confident that Umno understood its priorities and would not halt cooperating with Amanah in the state elections.

Earlier today, Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi lambasted Amanah for the party’s refusal to retract its call for Najib’s pardon application to be rejected.

He accused Amanah of questioning the Agong’s wisdom and discretion, saying that this is why it was difficult for Umno to forge close ties with them.