KUALA LUMPUR: All eyes are on the outcome of the Umno Supreme Council special meeting today held in the wake of the Pardons Board's decision to reduce the jail sentence and fine of Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International scandal.
Held at the party's headquarters at Menara Dato Onn here, the meeting which started at 11.30am earlier, is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Absent from the meeting is Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who is away attending the 24th ASEAN-European Union Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Brussels and participating in the 3rd European Union Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EU IPMF) as Foreign Minister.
Other top leaders present include three Umno vice presidents - Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johani Abdul Ghani, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Khalid Nordin and Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Also spotted arriving at the party's headquarters to attend the special meeting were Umno information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, and members of the supreme council; including Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.
Zahid in a statement last night said the meeting is being called to discuss the issues and development surrounding the Pardons Board's decision which only commuted Najib's sentencing instead of granting the latter a full pardon.
"The meeting is to discuss what has happened and look into what went wrong (which resulted in Najib only being granted a reduction of jail sentencing and fine involving the SRC International case," a party source said.
The same party insider refused to comment if Umno, at the end of the special meeting, would be pushing for a full pardon for Najib.
"Let us wait for an official statement from the Supreme Council," the same source said.
It was reported yesterday that the Federal Territories Pardons Board has reduced Najib's fine to RM50 million from RM210 million as well as halved his 12-year jail term to six.
The decision however did not go down well with several Umno leaders who felt that the former Pekan member of Parliament should be granted a full pardon.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Puad Zarkashi described the decision as "hurtful", for Najib not to receive a full pardon.
The same sentiment was echoed by Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh when he took to his Facebook page yesterday and shared a cryptic message.
"We are being played at the end. Do not think we do not know what has happened.
"The time has come," wrote Dr Akmal.
Najib's daughter Nooryana Najwa was seemingly unhappy with such a decision when she posted this on her Instagram account: "False hope.. is worse than despair."