Malaysia's King Postpones Decision on Najib Razak's Royal Pardon Bid

Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim has ordered that the royal pardon request filed by former prime minister Najib Razak be held over until the next meeting of the pardons board, the legal affairs division of the prime minister's department announced.

The decision followed a sitting of the pardons board on Friday, the division said. No date has been given for when the board will next convene to take up the application.

The postponement leaves the clemency bid unresolved for now, with the matter set to return to the board at a future session. The legal affairs division, which operates under the prime minister's department, issued the statement confirming the deferral.

Najib, who served as prime minister, is seeking a royal pardon. Under Malaysia's constitutional arrangements, the King considers such requests on the advice of the pardons board. The board's proceedings and the King's deliberations are not conducted in public.

Friday's meeting was the occasion for the board's review, and the outcome was a decision to carry the application forward rather than conclude it. The statement did not elaborate on the reasons for the postponement or on any recommendations the board may have made.

Further details are expected when the board next meets, though no timeline has been disclosed.