The party’s central executive committee said its official stance is to object to any efforts to save a “kleptocrat” who has caused “damage” to the country.

“Najib’s pardon is wrong because it’s not one, but seven messages, that will give the wrong impression to the Malaysian public,” it said in a statement today, adding that he had been found guilty of a total of seven different charges.

“Does this mean a normal person who is convicted for the same offence will receive this special privilege?”

It said a pardon for Najib just months after he had started to serve his sentence would send the message that a person with influence and connection need not be worried about the law.

Najib is serving a 12-year prison sentence and was fined RM210 million after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over SRC funds amounting to RM42 million.

On April 28, FMT reported that the Pardons Board had not discussed Najib’s application for a royal pardon, although it had been said to have scheduled a meeting that day.