MALAYSIANS must come together and oppose Umno’s petition to push for Najib Razak’s royal pardon, Klang lawmaker Charles Santiago said.

The DAP leader was responding to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who yesterday called on Umno members to take part in a petition to show their support for their jailed former president.

“It’s not complicated. Zahid is playing to the gallery – those who don’t quite understand why the Federal Court disallowed admission of new evidence or adjournment. And is it only to free Najib? Nope. It’s to save his own skin,” he said.

“Why is it difficult for ordinary people to believe Najib looted the money? It’s because he manipulated the social media and Zahid is now doing the same. We, the people, need to wake up and fight back.”

The Umno president at the party special briefing on Saturday said the party would be organising a petition drive to free Najib.

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

“We leave it to the wisdom of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to evaluate and implement it later.”

Santiago said a royal pardon would make a mockery of the country’s judiciary.

He urged the people to come together and oppose Umno’s tactic. 

“The one thing we can do for our country today, as we approach Merdeka Day, is to ensure no one is above the law and no one can hold this country to ransom,” he said.

“Politicians call us ordinary people, as opposed to Najib, who belongs to the privileged lot. But let’s show how powerful we are as ‘One’ people. Let’s come together to oppose crafty tactics to free a convicted criminal.”

On Tuesday, the Federal Court affirmed the High Court’s sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case and ordered Najib to begin his 12-year sentence in Kajang Prison.

He also has to pay a RM210 million fine or serve another five years in jail.

While the SRC case has concluded, Najib still has five ongoing trials, meaning he will be leaving the prison quite often to attend the court cases.

In the 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial, Najib is facing 25 charges.

Four of them are for abuse of power under section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009 for offences allegedly committed between February 24, 2011 and December 19, 2014. – August 28, 2022.