Does MCA back calls to free Najib, asks DAP man

PETALING JAYA: An aide to DAP election director Wong Kah Woh has challenged MCA to state whether it supports Umno’s push for former prime minister Najib Razak to receive a full pardon.

In a Facebook post, Ong Hui Xue accused MCA leaders of avoiding the issue following the controversy over a banner that featured a “Free Najib” poster placed beside a “Maju Johor” billboard.

“None of these MCA leaders has the courage to address the elephant in the room – does MCA agree that Najib should be freed?” Ong said.

He cited past statements by Umno leaders supporting Najib, including remarks by Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi stating that the people “missed” the former prime minister, and the 104 motions Umno divisions submitted at the party’s 2026 general assembly seeking a full pardon for him.

He said while Umno had made its position clear, MCA should tell voters whether it backed its Barisan Nasional ally.

“MCA cannot avoid the question of whether it is going to betray the people again,” he said.

Former Umno president Najib, 72, is serving a six-year prison sentence in the SRC International case. His jail sentence is scheduled to end on Aug 23, 2028.

He has also been convicted by the High Court of abuse of power and money laundering linked to 1MDB, for which he has been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, commencing after the expiry of his current sentence.

He has appealed that decision.