KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — The silence is deafening among Umno members as their former party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sentenced to 12 years in jail for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

Reactions to the verdict on social media have been slim to none, with only Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan so far commenting on the judgment.

In a tweet, Ahmad recalled how it was Najib who first selected him to be a member of Cabinet, while expressing hope that the case would continue to be reviewed.

“He is the son of a prime minister, and he chose me, a son of a rubber tapper, to be a deputy minister, and I will not forget this.

“The case will continue to be reviewed. The people are also judging. I hope that he (Najib) and his family will continue to be strong,” he tweeted.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid also expressed his sympathy towards Najib and his family.

He said regardless of the Federal Court’s decision, his contribution to both the country and Umno cannot be denied.

“I personally feel very sympathetic towards Datuk Seri [email protected] Razak and all his family members. As a comrade-in-arms in Umno, no matter what happens, his service and devotion to Umno and the country before this, cannot be denied at all.

At the same time, he also chided the Federal Court, saying that the phrase “justice hurried is justice buried” would fit well in this case.

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