KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has moved to clarify widespread public speculation suggesting that the recent High Court ruling concerning the royal addendum case has weakened the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malay Rulers and Yang di-Pertua Negeri over matters of pardon. According to the AGC, such claims are misleading and contradict the substance of the judgment delivered.
The AGC stated that the High Court ruling does not diminish royal powers. Instead, it explains in greater detail how royal pardons must function within Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy framework. The ruling, it said, reinforces the constitutional recognition that the power of pardon belongs exclusively to the monarchy, as outlined in Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
At the same time, the AGC noted that Malaysia’s system ensures this power is not arbitrary, but executed through the Pardons Board structure, which plays a consultative role in decisions surrounding clemency applications. This process, AGC added, reflects the principles of constitutional monarchy — where royal authority remains paramount but functions harmoniously within constitutional boundaries.
The AGC urged the public to interpret the ruling responsibly and avoid sensationalising or misrepresenting the decision in a way that may provoke distrust in judicial or royal institutions. Any attempt to incite unrest or manipulate public sentiment through distorted narratives, it warned, is inappropriate and potentially harmful to national stability.
Touching on Najib Razak’s case, the AGC revealed that minutes from the 61st Pardons Board meeting for the Federal Territories demonstrated that house arrest matters were never discussed nor decreed by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The only directive issued concerned a 50 per cent reduction in jail term and fine, based on Najib’s clemency appeal.
The AGC reiterated its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the monarchy, respecting constitutional processes and ensuring that Malaysia’s legal system continues to operate based on law, order and constitutional integrity.