“Due to efforts by the president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) and raised by the prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak’s petition was heard ‘early’ by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” - Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam.

COMMENT | I wonder who those “some Pakatan Harapan supporters” refer to, that Transport Minister Anthony Loke wants to keep a cool head when it comes to the issue of Najib’s sentence reduction and not forgetting the reduced fine, which just seems like rubbing salt in the wound.

Meanwhile, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh continues to pass the buck and urges the Pardons Board to explain its decision to reduce Najib’s sentence and fine but forgets that this isn’t about the process but how the executive branch wields power when it comes to this issue.

Keep in mind that Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as a newly elected prime minister back then, sought a full pardon for the man he jailed, Anwar Ibrahim.

Don’t get me wrong. Najib is not the worst of the kleptocrats that Harapan has demonised. Indeed, for someone like me, who views religious extremism as an existential threat to this country, this reduction of sentence/fine is merely big politics in a small pond.

The problem with Harapan political operatives and “some Harapan supporters”, is that they...