Patience running out in Umno as Anwar faces renewed pressure on Najib’s fate in prison
Umno is believed to have recently launched a new campaign for the release of Najib Razak, with loyal supporters of the former prime minister having met several times in recent days to press the government on his fate.
(MalaysiaNow) – Sources told MalaysiaNow that Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor has also met several Umno leaders where her husband’s freedom was discussed.
“Patience has obviously run out in Najib’s camp. That is essentially the message being conveyed,” an Umno leader who admitted to having met Rosmah told MalaysiaNow on strict condition of anonymity.
This comes at a time when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing tough questions over his recent remarks on the former leader’s bid to be placed under house arrest to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Since then, both Umno leaders and opposition critics have urged him to come clean on the matter.
Anwar had refused to comment on the Pardons Board’s decision to halve Najib’s prison sentence and reduce his fine to RM50 million.
He had also distanced himself from the controversy over the existence of a “royal addendum” penned by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, requesting that Najib serve the remainder of his time at home.
The addendum is now at the centre of Najib’s judicial review to bring to light the royal directive to the Pardons Board, which lawyers say was concealed by the government.
