KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak has filed an application for leave to initiate committal proceedings against former attorney general (AG) Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh for alleged contempt of court.
The application, filed by Najib’s legal team on May 21, 2025, accused Ahmad Terrirudin of failing to act on a royal Addendum Order that purportedly called for Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
In a statement today, the law firm representing Najib said the Addendum Order, dated January 29, 2024, was delivered to Najib through his son and confirmed as authentic by the Pahang Royal Council in a letter dated January 4, 2025.
“The contents of the above-mentioned documents not only confirm the existence of the Addendum Order and its Royal decree of house imprisonment, but further disclosed that the Addendum Order was in fact personally addressed to Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin in his capacity as the Attorney General at the material time, for him to execute the Addendum Order, suggesting that he had direct knowledge of the Addendum Order,” said the statement.
Despite this, Najib alleged that Ahmad Terrirudin misled the High Court by characterising the Addendum Order as speculative and hearsay, thereby concealing material facts from the court.
“It is our client’s view that as a public officer, the former Attorney General owed the Court a paramount duty of candour,” Najib’s legal team said, citing local and international legal precedents which require the government to present all relevant information in judicial reviews.
The statement added that Ahmad Terrirudin’s actions undermined public confidence in the judiciary and constituted an obstruction of justice.
Given his current position as a Federal Court judge, Najib’s lawyers said it was critical that Ahmad Terrirudin be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations and purge the contempt, if necessary.
Najib’s legal team also urged the public and media to refrain from speculation and allow the courts to decide the matter.
In February, Pahang Ruler Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had urged all parties to cease debating a royal addendum regarding Najib’s pardon, saying the matter is under legal review and should be respected.
In February 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board — chaired by Al-Sultan Abdullah — halved Najib’s sentence from his SRC International trial conviction to six years.
Najib subsequently claimed that Al-Sultan Abdullah had also issued a “royal addendum” for him to serve the remaining sentence under house arrest.
