PKR leader slams Nazifuddin, says polls not a Najib referendum

PETALING JAYA: A PKR leader has slammed Langkawi Umno chief Nazifuddin Najib for saying that a big Barisan Nasional (BN) win in the Johor polls would signal the people’s desire for former prime minister Najib Razak to receive a royal pardon.

In a statement, PKR deputy secretary-general G Sivamalar said no election should be seen as a referendum to determine a person’s fate.

She maintained that the state polls were meant as a platform for voters to elect a government they deem capable of governing Johor and building the state’s future.

“Pushing the narrative that a big election win equals a mandate to pardon someone would undermine the millions of voters in Johor and the king’s authority (to issue pardons) as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“Every Johorean’s vote is valuable and cannot be construed as political licence to ‘save’ an individual who has already been punished by the court,” she added.

She said Pakatan Harapan respected the judiciary’s decisions and the king’s wisdom in the pardon process, which is free from political exploitation or pressure.

She also expressed confidence that, on July 11, Johoreans would come out in droves to vote against BN.

“I am confident that the people of Johor will once again prove that they cannot be undermined, manipulated, or forced into accepting a narrative that insults their intelligence.

“Democracy belongs to the people, and the people of Johor know how to defend it. On July 11, Johoreans will teach Nazifuddin a lesson through the ballot box,” the PKR central committee member said.

Last night, Nazifuddin said a huge BN win in Johor would signal that the people still cherished Najib. He acknowledged, however, that victory would not mean that his father could simply be released.

On Tuesday, housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming of DAP said he would be the first to resign from his Cabinet post if Najib was released from prison. He also did not rule out the possibility of DAP leaving the federal coalition altogether.

Najib, 72, is serving a six-year prison sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case. His original 12-year jail term was halved by the pardons board in February 2024, and his RM210 million fine was reduced to RM50 million.

The sentence is scheduled to end on Aug 23, 2028.

Najib was also convicted by the High Court of abuse of power and money laundering linked to 1MDB, for which he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. The former Pekan MP has appealed that decision.