KUALA LUMPUR – Analysts have downplayed the impact of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reduced sentence on DAP’s reputation, despite the party’s stated strong opposition to corruption.
The experts believe that the Pardons Board’s decision may not significantly affect the unity government component party’s public image.
Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, said the recent development with Najib may be a “win-win” situation for both the party and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said this is because Najib is still incarcerated and ineligible to contest in the next general election (GE16), even if he is granted parole or freed for good behaviour before the polls.
“(Najib) is still incarcerated; even if he is released for good behaviour or parole before GE16, he’s still not eligible to contest because he was not granted a full pardon. DAP will not be upset about this or blame the party and Anwar,” he told Scoop.
Azmi said that Umno’s approach to the decision could benefit the party if done correctly.
“(Umno) can invigorate or make their supporters hopeful that, within less than four years, Najib will be out and helping Umno gain strength, especially among the Malay voters just before GE16,” he said.
Azmi also brushed aside the possibility of friction between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Umno, as the latter lacked strength of influence and because Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was not a member of the Pardons Board.
“Although he (Zahid) is a deputy prime minister, he is not a member of the board, and Umno (is merely a) part of the government (and) not the (whole) government.
“There will not (likely) be any friction between the allies in the unity government (because of this),” he said.
Limited extent
Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Najib’s sentence reduction may become an issue with DAP’s grassroots and supporters to a certain extent, but it would not necessarily affect future electoral outcomes.
He noted that it would have been a different scenario if Najib’s early release announcement took place during the 15th general election, adding that the “muted” disagreements within DAP were meant to keep the unity government afloat.
“For now, the grassroots and supporters have a much larger, fearsome concern on the horizon, namely the ubiquitous green wave that would overshadow all their other concerns.
“If DAP were to take a firm stance and pull out over this relatively minor issue, the government would instantly collapse,” he said.
On an international level, Oh said investors are already aware that corruption and collusion are “the rule of the day” in most developing countries, adding that many countries have embraced or turned a blind eye to such practices in secret.
Bigger fish to fry
National Council of Professors chairman, Datuk Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, said a rift may only occur within DAP’s central committee.
He pointed out that disagreements between DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow regarding the state’s ongoing water supply crisis are a bigger factor in the party’s potential instability.
On DAP’s voters, Shamsul said the news on Najib most likely ruffled the feathers of the middle-income group, as the lower and upper classes will pay no mind to such matters unless it affects their access to basic needs such as education, as well as the flow of corporate profits.
Shamsul also noted that while PH did not enjoy strong Malay support, the community was disunited in its favour for any particular political entity.
“PH is safe with 10% of Malay votes, but has nearly 100% from non-Malays,” he said.
Last week, the Pardons Board secretariat for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya announced the reduction of Najib’s jail term from 12 years to six.
The disgraced leader’s fine was also slashed from RM210 million to RM50 million, but he would have to serve an additional year in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
The decision was met with mixed reactions, including disappointment by Najib’s daughter, Nooryana Najwa, who insisted on a full pardon and immediate release from prison.
Former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil claimed that party leaders in the unity government had deceived the people, while party youth wing chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh suggested that his party comrades had been “played” by the government’s leadership.
Meanwhile, former Damansara MP Tony Pua had a field day mocking the sentence reduction online, leading to Bukit Aman summoning him over allegations of sedition against the palace, which heads the Pardons Board.
However, on Saturday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the cabinet had no influence in the decision to halve Najib’s sentence, while Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil called for all quarters to respect the outcome of deliberations by the Pardons Board. – February 6, 2024