Royal Pardon a Constitutional Safeguard, Not a Political Favour, Says Pahang Sultan
KUANTAN: The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has reaffirmed that the royal prerogative of pardon enshrined under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution must never be interpreted as a political concession or an act driven by personal sympathy.
His Royal Highness said the power to grant pardons is an essential constitutional mechanism that provides a final layer of review within Malaysia’s justice system, which is primarily punitive in nature.
He stressed that decisions involving pardons should be approached with rational judgment and emotional restraint, rather than being influenced by public sentiment or political pressure.
The Sultan also clarified that any sentence reduction or pardon does not nullify a court’s conviction, erase criminal records, or weaken the rule of law, which remains the cornerstone of national governance.
Al-Sultan Abdullah noted that the pardon process is neither selective nor exclusive, pointing out that hundreds of prisoners from diverse backgrounds receive sentence reductions or pardons each year through the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers, involving both serious and minor offenses.
According to a statement shared on the Kesultanan Pahang Facebook page, the Sultan made these remarks while attending the 120th meeting of the Pahang Council of Regency at a hotel in Kuantan on Monday. The Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, was also present at the meeting.
He further explained that pardon decisions are reached collectively through the Pardons Board, which consists of representatives from various key institutions, ensuring a system of checks and balances rather than unilateral authority.
Under Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy system, the Sultan said the Ruler functions as a stabilizing force, not as an extension of popular emotion or political narratives but as a guardian of justice and balance when public discourse becomes overly charged.
“The royal power of pardon should be viewed as a constitutional strength, not a flaw,” His Royal Highness said, adding that Malaysia is governed by law and constitutional principles, not by social media outrage or political theatrics.
The Sultan expressed confidence in Malaysia’s continued stability and governance based on principle, while offering prayers for the nation and the state of Pahang to remain under Allah’s blessings.