PEKAN: Umno leadership must not only be vocal but also adopt proactive measures to pursue justice for former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, a state division leader said.
Pekan Umno division chief Datuk Mohammad Fakhruddin Mohd Arif said efforts to secure justice for Najib, who served as the division chief for 41 years, must continue until there is light at the end of the tunnel.
"Today, someone who has all these years been our guide playing the father figure role is absent. Pekan Umno will continue to defend him...we(Pekan Umno) will remain firm in our efforts to demand justice for Najib.
"We urge the party's top leadership from president to supreme council members, including cabinet ministers (from Umno), not to be only vocal but take proactive approaches to look at the justice Najib deserves within the country's law jurisdiction.
"Pekan Umno hopes that all issues involving Datuk Seri (Najib) including seeking justice will be solved before the next general election," he said in his speech during the Pekan Umno division delegates meeting at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah convention hall here today.
Johor Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who is also the Johor Menteri Besar, opened the meeting.
Speaking to reporters later, Fakhruddin said Pekan Umno will raise a resolution during the meeting today which is to seek justice for Najib as the former had contributed extensively for the country, state and the Pekan parliamentary constituency.
"Pekan Umno always strives to find ways and prays that Najib will be given justice. Umno leaders themselves have been putting a lot of effort (to seek justice) and we hope that efforts to defend Najib will not be halted until he receives it," he said.
Meanwhile, Onn Hafiz, in his speech, said Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the supreme council were doing their part to assist Najib but one cannot expect instant results.
"It has to be implemented wisely as it cannot happen overnight. We can put pressure but the decision will be made by the Pardons Board so lets keep our fingers crossed for the best," he said.
When opening the Lipis Umno meeting last month, Zahid said that Umno remains firm in its stand that Najib should be allowed to serve his remaining sentence under house arrest.
Najib was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International funds. In February this year, the Pardons Board reduced his fine and halved his jail term to six years.