Malaysia cabinet discusses Najib pardon bid, but won’t announce outcome – minister

Malaysia's cabinet has discussed a request by jailed former premier Najib Razak for a royal pardon but has no authority to make any announcement, its home minister said on Wednesday, amid frenzied speculation about the outcome. It will be at the discretion of the Pardons Board to announce its decision, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said at a press conference on immigration and labour issues, which was packed with media seeking news on Najib's clemency bid. The disgraced former leader Najib is serving a 12-year jail term for graft linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), from which U.S. and Malaysian investigators estimate $4.5 billion was stolen and more than $1 billion channeled to accounts linked to the former premier.