The Malaysian Insight

THE judiciary plays a crucial role in the eradication of corruption in the country, the Court of Appeal said in its SRC judgment.

Quoting the words of Sultan Azlan Shah in his judgment against then Selangor menteri besar Harun Idris in 1977, the judges said that the judiciary played a key role in stopping the “frightening decay in the integrity of some of our leaders”. 

“Some 45 years later, these words still bear relevance to the appellant, and where we as a nation find ourselves now. 

“The ‘frightening decay in the integrity of some of our leaders’ that Sultan Azlan Shah warned us of 45 years ago is still a Scrooge that plagues this beautiful nation. 

“The courts, in upholding the rule of law, would have to do what is necessary to ensure that this modern-day plague is eradicated for the good of the nation,” they said in the 317-page full judgment. 

Yesterday, the appeals court upheld the High Court’s decision and found the former prime minister guilty of all seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money-laundering in relation to SRC International, a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

The bench, chaired by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, delivered the unanimous decision in hybrid proceedings held in person and via Zoom. The other judges were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera. 

Najib was found guilty of the offences by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali in July last year. He was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million. 

The judges also said that before the law, everyone is equal, even the prime minister of a country. 

“The law is indeed ‘no respect for person’. All men are equal before the law, and the courts apply the law equally to all.” – December 9, 2021.