Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is free to issue any statement on social media as long as it is not against the law, said A Kadir Jasin.

Kadir, the media and communications adviser to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said that as far as he knew, an accused person could still make any statement outside the court if it was not related to the case he was charged with.

"If it is not against the law, I suppose we should not stop him. I don't think there are people who go to support him after they got rid of him. If he is not found guilty yet, let him talk," he said.

He was responding to a question from the floor at the dinner talk, 'Post 9th May - Where we are heading to in this new Malaysia' organised by Malaysian law firm Lee Hishammuddin Allen and Gledhill in Kuala Lumpur last night.

To a question why Najib was not made to wear MACC orange lock-up attire, Kadir said he was also puzzled by the decision of the MACC, stressing that everyone arrested by the commission should be treated equally.

Calling upon the guests, the majority of whom were lawyers, to voice out on the matter, he stressed that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

"I'm sure there is one for his size. I still believe that we should insist that everybody is treated the same," he said.

Najib was previously detained overnight and brought to court where he faced four graft and 21 money-laundering charges on Sept 20 under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, with him not in handcuffs and not wearing lock-up attire.

On allegations that the government was only prosecuting leaders from Najib's era while leaving leaders during Mahathir's era protected, Kadir explained that the government did not practise cherry-picking.

"Najib was from Tun Mahathir’s era, and it was also Tun Mahathir who made him the youngest menteri besar in Malaysian history," he said.

- Bernama