Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that his decision to bring former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's pardon application to the Pardons Board in 2023 was to ensure that every prisoner's constitutional right to submit an appeal was not denied.

He said that as prime minister, he did not want to be seen as blocking any individual's right to seek consideration from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong through the Pardons Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Constitution.

"As the leader of the nation, the prime minister, I could not bear to be seen as victimising anyone under our Constitution. Every prisoner has the right to submit an appeal to the king for consideration.

"If I had not allowed it, I would have denied him his right. What right? The right to be considered by the Pardons Board under the Agong. That is why I took that action," the Pakatan Harapan chairperson said when speaking at the Pesta Melaka Rumah Kita event at Taman Perdana Melaka last night.