KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): The affidavit affirmed by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi about sighting an addendum order - purportedly issued by the previous king for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s jail sentence to be commuted and for him to be placed under house arrest - contains certain factual errors, claimed Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

Tengku Zafrul, who was cited in the document that the deputy prime minister (Ahmad Zahid) affirmed during court proceedings earlier on Wednesday, said he would be taking steps to obtain appropriate legal advice and seek to write to the High Court to ask for permission or leave to file an affidavit to correct those errors.

The affidavit, dated April 9, was in support of Najib’s application for a judicial review against the government and six others, as he claimed that the previous king, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, had issued the royal addendum order to allow him to serve his remaining prison term under house arrest. 

“I take no position in so far as the merits of the ongoing dispute [are] concerned, but I merely wish to ensure that the factual record is properly reflected and recorded, so that all parties and in particular, the High Court, is properly appraised of all material facts,” said Tengku Zafrul, who is also the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry.

“This will ultimately allow for a just and fair decision to be made in the interest of all parties concerned,” he said in a statement.

Zahid, in his affirmed affidavit, had alleged that he had sighted the addendum in the order issued by previous king, the 16th Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, and that it was Tengku Zafrul who informed him about the addendum in the order, which is supposed to be a document under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), during a visit to his house on Jan 30 this year.

“Upon querying further, he (Tengku Zafrul) showed me a copy of the addendum order from his phone, which showed a scan of the original copy.

“The contents of the addendum order expressly stated that the applicant (Najib) be allowed to serve his reduced sentence of his imprisonment under condition of 'house arrest' instead of the current prison confinement in Kajang Prison. I further sighted the addendum order [dated] Jan 29, which had the seal and signature of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“I further confirm that the addendum order is genuine and in fact the royal prerogative order as the main order,” Zahid had told the court. 

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