PUTRAJAYA – Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), in which he is seeking a release from prison or a retrial of his SRC International case, does not affect the judiciary, the Chief Justice said.

Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said that the action by the former Pekan prime minister was “entirely up to him” after the Federal Court had delivered its decision.

“Our job is done. We have discharged our responsibilities in terms of deciding on the case. Whatever he wants to do, whatever avenue he wants to explore, that is beyond us,” she added.

The top judge was speaking at a press conference after attending the Opening of the Legal Year 2023 ceremony at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre on Monday.

When asked if any decision by the UNWGAD would have a binding effect in Malaysia, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun refused to comment further.

“(All I can say is), the judiciary is not affected post the decision we deliver,” she said.

On Jan 5, Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told the press that the defence team had sent a petition titled Datuk Seri Najib Razak vs Malaysia to UNWGAD on the same day.

Najib is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after the Federal Court affirmed his conviction and sentence in the SRC case.

According to Mr Muhammad Shafee, Najib is asking the UNWGAD panel of five experts on international justice to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the Federal Court on Aug 23 was unjust, flawed and had violated his basic human rights and the Federal Constitution.

Najib claimed that there were serious breaches of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Malaysia is a party to. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK