KUANTAN: 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 granting of pardons and sentence reductions is also not exclusive to any individual, party or position. According to the post, the Sultan made the remarks when attending the 120th Meeting of the Pahang Council of Regency at a hotel here on Monday. 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.- Bernama

Source: The Star February 02, 2026 16:54 UTC