Saifuddin blasts ‘mischievous’ claims

By – Thiruselvam

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Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has labelled reports claiming former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will be given home detention as mischievous.

The Home Minister said he had seen some of the reports and chided the publishers for not looking at the bigger picture.

“I have read some mischievous reports on whether this (Licensed Release of Prisoners, or PBSL, would) mean that Najib will be put in home detention.

“They cannot see (that the objective of PBSL is) to lessen congestion in prison and for certain categories,” he told a press conference during his visit to Rumah Seri Kenangan here on Monday (March 4).

“There is a panel to evaluate the types of offences under PBSL.

“Some people are just looking at this from a skewed perspective,” he said.

Over the weekend, Saifuddin said the government has agreed in principle to implement PBSL through home detention for prisoners serving jail sentences of four years and below.

This was an effort to reduce overcrowding in prisons, he added.

Najib, 70, is currently in prison after being convicted of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42mil siphoned from SRC International, a former 1MBD subsidiary. He was also fined RM210mil.

His jail term was recently reduced from 12 years to six by the Federal Territories Pardons Board, and the fine was reduced to RM50mil.

Source – THE STAR