KUANTAN, Feb 3 — The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has stressed that the power to grant royal pardons under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution must not be regarded as a political gift or an act of personal sympathy.
Instead, Al-Sultan Abdullah said the power of pardon is a legitimate constitutional mechanism that serves as a final consideration in a justice system that is punitive in nature.
“The power of pardon provided under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution should be assessed with calm emotions and a clear mind, not with excessive sentiment or clouded judgement,” His Royal Highness said in a post on the Kesultanan Pahang Facebook page yesterday.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said any reduction in sentence does not erase a court conviction, remove criminal records or undermine the rule of law, which forms the foundation of national governance.
“The granting of pardons and sentence reductions is also not exclusive to any individual, party or position.
“Every year, hundreds of prisoners from various backgrounds, including those involved in serious and minor offences, receive sentence reductions or pardons from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers,” His Royal Highness said.
According to the post, the Sultan made the remarks when attending the 120th Meeting of the Pahang Council of Regency at a hotel here yesterday.
Also in attendance was the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said decisions on pardons are not made unilaterally, but through deliberations by the Pardons Board, which comprises representatives from key national or state institutions, reflecting a multi-layered system of checks and balances.
His Royal Highness said that under the Constitutional Monarchy system, the Ruler is not an instrument of public sentiment nor subject to political pressure, but serves as a pillar of justice that calms heightened emotions and restores balance when loud voices seek to dominate the narrative.
“The power of pardon should not be seen as a weakness in the system, but as a clear reminder that this country is not governed by social media emotions, does not pass judgement on political stages, and does not replace the Constitution with public anger,” Al-Sultan Abdullah said.
The Sultan also expressed confidence that Malaysia would continue to remain a principled and firm nation, and prayed that the country, and Pahang in particular, would always be under Allah’s blessings.
