Asharun Uji, head of Gua Musang PKR, said the Umno division needed to exercise greater prudence before attacking Anwar over the issue.

He said it was Anwar who submitted Najib’s application for a royal pardon during the meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board on Dec 9, 2023.

“Gua Musang Umno should be thanking the prime minister for bringing that agenda to the meeting,” he said. “At least Najib’s prison sentence and fine were significantly reduced.”

The pardons board announced on Feb 2 last year that Najib’s 12-year jail sentence had been halved to six years and a RM210 million fine was reduced to RM50 million.

Asharun said the government could not act on the addendum as it was not a decision by the pardons board.

“As the home minister has explained, the prisons department executed the reduced sentence based on the board’s decision on Jan 29, which bore the signature and royal seal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said.

Anwar’s government has been repeatedly accused of “hiding” the addendum.

Last week, Anwar said the royal addendum by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, dated Jan 29 last year, had been sent to the attorney-general (then Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh).

He said the addendum was sent back to Istana Negara after Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar became the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan 31 last year.

Najib has obtained leave to begin judicial review proceedings to compel the government to place him under house arrest in accordance with the terms of the addendum.