KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) today apologised for the hurtful and offensive remarks made pertaining to the appeal to pardon former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said it was paramount to strengthen the party's position in the unity government.
"Amanah would like to apologise for the statement by communication director (Khalid Abdul Samad).
"If it has offended, hurt Umno, we apologise for it," he told reporters at Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Sri Satria here today.
Khalid was reported to have pleaded with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reject Datuk Seri Najib Razak's appeal to be pardoned and released from jail.
He said this was the only way to protect the good name of the country in its commitment to fight corruption and power abuse.
Salahuddin added that after one had crossed the line, it was only right to apologise.
"It is not a shameful gesture to apologise.
"This should be solved and one must move forward," he said.
Meanwhile, Zahid said Khalid must learn to respect the stance of other parties in the unity government.
The Umno president said Khalid should not only read what was written, but must also understand what was implied.
On April 7, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said Umno would submit an appeal to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to consider granting a royal pardon to Najib soon, as per Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution.
Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had also said he would be use the dissenting judgment of Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli to support the application for his client's pardon from the king.
Najib, 69, is serving a 12-year-prison term in Kajang Prison for misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
On the pardon bid, Zahid said the matter had yet to be discussed by the Pardons Board.
"We believe the agenda will be included at the right time," he said.
