THE Umno Supreme Council is disappointed with the Court of Appeal upholding former prime minister Najib Razak’s conviction and sentence for seven charges linked to the RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, party secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said.

Breaking the party’s silence since the verdict was delivered yesterday morning, he said the council regrets the outcome of the case “without losing respect for the decision of the appellate court”.

“Umno hopes that his (Najib’s) decision in the Federal Court will be tried fairly” because many think that (Umno leaders) are victims of political prosecution, he added.

“Umno believes that the country’s judicial system must always uphold the highest principles of justice,” he said in a statement. 

Yesterday, a three-member bench, chaired by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, delivered its unanimous verdict in hybrid proceedings.

Najib was found guilty of seven charges of money-laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, in July last year. He was sentenced to 12 years’ prison and fined RM210 million.

In delivering the ruling, Karim said the bench agreed with trial judge Nazlan’s finding that Najib had personal interest in the cabinet approving a government guarantee for a RM4 billion loan from Retirement Fund Inc to SRC International.

“There was no national interest when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s accounts. Only a national embarrassment,” Karim said as he read out the unanimous decision.

The other judges were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said the Umno general assembly will take place at PWTC, January 13-15. 

“It will be in a hybrid manner, due to standard operating procedures on social distancing.” – December 9, 2021.