Courts grant ex-Malaysian PM Najib house arrest after $12m royal pardon

Najib’s lawyer, Farhan Shafee, confirmed the order on Friday and said he is delivering it to the Kajang prison immediately.

The former leader, who denies any wrongdoing, has been held in jail since 2022 after being convicted for corruption and embezzlement.

The charges relate to the misappropriation of billions of dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund.

His house arrest could begin as early as Friday if all procedures proceed smoothly.

The decision follows the agreement of Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim in September to grant Najib a royal pardon.

Crowdfunding for fine

Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), reportedly used crowdfunding to cover the 50 million ringgit ($12m) fine.

This was necessary because Najib’s bank accounts have been frozen.

Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride noted that the decision could cause a significant political stir in Malaysia.

Political reaction

There are questions about how current politics have influenced the pardon.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has publicly raised concerns about the pardon in his role as the country’s anti-corruption figurehead.

However, there is speculation that he may have supported the pardon behind the scenes due to pressure from Najib’s party.

Investigators say about $4.5bn was stolen from the 1MDB fund, with more than $1bn linked to Najib.

Legal history and next steps

Najib was also convicted in a major 1MDB trial in Malaysia, receiving a 15-year prison sentence and a $2.5bn fine for money laundering and abuse of power.

He had appealed the case and requested a halt to the jail term and fines, citing poor health and an inability to pay.

A judge rejected this request in September, stating that the gravity of the offence is a more important public interest consideration.

Razak is due to return to jail to serve out this sentence as soon as his house arrest ends in 2028, though it is unclear if this will happen.