A statement from BN headquarters said “the same faction that previously disparaged and slandered Najib” is now trying to exploit his situation for political mileage, describing the move as immoral.

It said BN agreed with the call by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who urged all parties to respect the king’s prerogative on pardons, and to use established channels to pursue the matter.

The BN statement said it was the coalition’s tradition to maintain respect for Najib’s services and sacrifices no matter the hardship he is enduring. BN remains consistent in ensuring the legal process against Najib is carried out with sincerity, it said.

The statement came hours before a rally in Putrajaya in solidarity with Najib, whose application for a judicial review is to be heard at the Court of Appeal tomorrow.

BN and its component parties Umno, MCA and MIC have withdrawn support for the rally, while opposition party PAS has said its members would go ahead with it tomorrow.

However, police have urged the public not to attend the gathering as no permit for a public assembly has been issued. Putrajaya police chief Aidi Sham Mohamed said strict action will be taken against those who attend the rally.

Yesterday, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man hit out at Umno for pulling out of the rally, and accused the party of deferring to DAP’s dissatisfaction with the plan to mobilise support for Najib at a public gathering.

He said the decision showed that Umno was merely a loyal follower, bowing to DAP’s every whim.

Najib is currently serving a prison sentence commuted to six years by the Federal Territories Pardons Board on Feb 2, following his conviction in the SRC International case.

The Court of Appeal will tomorrow hear Najib’s application for a judicial review of his application to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest. He claims the order was issued in a supplementary order to the pardons board’s decision.