THERE is no need to worry about former prime minister Najib Razak’s efforts to stay relevant as he has yet to be found guilty in court, said James Masing.

The Sarawak deputy chief minister said Malaysians should be concerned only if Najib is able to stage a political comeback after being convicted and jailed over charges linked to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

Until he is proven guilty, Najib can do whatever he pleases within the law, said Masing, responding to former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan’s statement that the ex-prime minister’s efforts to remain relevant in the political arena are worrying.

“Why should Ambiga, or Pakatan Harapan, for that matter, be so worried about his growing popularity?” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“Najib may be facing many criminal and civil charges, but he is innocent until proven guilty. What’s new about that?

“Let’s not be hypocritical or practise double standards in our ethical or moral values,” said Masing, adding that Lim Guan Eng was made finance minister in the PH cabinet when he was still facing corruption charges.

In a recent interview, Ambiga said Najib “absolutely… has the right to do whatever he’s doing now”, but the fact that he is gaining political traction is “very worrying”.

“I’m not sure whether if he was in any other country, he could have done this… (having) been charged with so many serious offences,” she was quoted as saying.

Najib, since his ouster from office in the 14th general election, has been slapped with 42 charges, among them for graft and abuse of power.

The trial for some of the charges begins on February 12. – February 1, 2019.