PUTRAJAYA: All media practitioners have been asked to wait for the official statement from the Pardons Board regarding Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appeal for a royal pardon, and not to produce news stories based solely on sources, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

       Referring to a news portal’s report which cited a source claiming that the board had granted a full pardon to Najib, Fahmi, who is the Unity Government’s spokesman, said it is very important for media practitioners to verify the authenticity of the information received before publishing it.

       “Sometimes, the authenticity of the sources cannot be ascertained, and hence it is important to verify the information received.

       “I have also checked with the Cabinet StratComm and YB Azalina (Minister of Law and Institutional Reform Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said), and was informed that we have to wait for the Pardons Board,” he said in his speech at the ministry’s monthly assembly here yesterday.

       Bernama checks found that the portal had removed the report on Najib’s pardon on the grounds of “unverified facts” and also apologised to its readers.

       Earlier in the day, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa confirmed that a pardons board meeting took place at the Istana Negara on Monday.

       Confirming her attendance at the meeting, Zaliha said an official statement by the Board is expected to be issued.

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       “Wait for official statement by (the) Pardons Board,” she said after launching the draft Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 in Cheras yesterday.

       The meeting was to be the last official meeting for Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

       The meeting had been postponed several times previously, Zaliha was quoted as saying.

       Until press time, there was no official statement on the matter.