KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has firmly refuted recent claims by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who questioned the legitimacy of the royal pardon granted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2018.
In a statement issued on Jun 3 and highlighted in a Facebook post today by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the AGC clarified that the pardon was fully constitutional and followed all proper legal procedures, including a formal meeting of the Pardons Board chaired by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V.
According to the AGC, the 51st Meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya was held on May 16 2018 at Istana Negara.
“The meeting was chaired by His Majesty Sultan Muhammad V and was attended, among others, by Tun Dr Mahathir himself in his capacity as the Prime Minister at the time,” the statement read.
The AGC also revealed that the Attorney General had submitted a written legal opinion to the Board for its consideration, in accordance with Clause (9), Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
Acting on the board’s advice, the King subsequently consented to grant a full pardon and immediate release to Anwar.
Expressing concern over what it described as misleading public statements, the AGC emphasised the importance of upholding the integrity of constitutional institutions.
“The AGC takes this matter seriously as it concerns constitutional interests and the credibility of national institutions,” the statement said.
The Facebook post by PKR is part of the party’s continued defence against political attacks, particularly from Dr Mahathir, who had recently alleged that the royal pardon was invalid and did not follow proper procedures.
