MELAKA – After a long time in prison, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak now wants time to clear his mind after returning to his residence to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
His daughter, Nooryana Najwa, better known as Yana, said her father still needed space to rest and calm his mind after a long period in Kajang Prison.
The Umno Puteri information chief said her family was grateful that Najib had returned safe and well and thanked the Malaysian Prisons Department for looking after him and ensuring his safety all this time.
“I managed to see him on Tuesday night. For now, he is still clearing his mind. I could not see him yesterday because I rushed straight here to campaign.
“I feel relieved that he is now able to carry out and continue the house arrest process,” she told Sinar at a Melaka state election campaign programme.
Asked about the impact of the development on the party machinery, Yana said her father’s return had also given a boost, not only to her but to the BN machinery working to ensure the coalition’s victory in Melaka.
She said the development was not expected to coincide with the campaign period, but feedback from the BN machinery showed they were happy and grateful that Najib could finally serve house arrest.
“We have waited too long for this good news and, insya-Allah, to supporters of Datuk Najib and the BN machinery, let this development be motivation to keep campaigning hard in these 48 hours and ensure BN wins in Melaka,” she said.
Yana acknowledged that the development might be viewed in two ways, by those who supported it and those who opposed it.
However, she said that as a daughter, she and her family had long prayed for this moment, while as a party member she wanted rules and respect for the institution of the Malay Rulers to be upheld.
“That is something that cannot be disputed. So, we accept it with an open mind and I think the most important thing for the family is that he is now at home, safe,” she said.
Najib returned to his residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, on the night of Nov 10 after the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed him to serve the remainder of his SRC International jail sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.