Najib Razak Granted Conditional House Arrest

ACCORDING TO THE LEGAL AFFAIRS DIVISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, THE CONDITIONAL PARDON WAS GRANTED BY KING SULTAN IBRAHIM SULTAN ISKANDAR FOLLOWING NAJIB’S APPEAL TO THE FEDERAL TERRITORIES PARDONS BOARD. THE BOARD MET AT THE KING’S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE, ISTANA NEGARA, IN A SESSION PRESIDED OVER BY THE MONARCH. ATTENDEES AT THE MEETING INCLUDED ATTORNEY-GENERAL DUSUKI MOKHTAR AND FEDERAL TERRITORIES MINISTER HANNAH YEOH, AMONG OTHERS.

THE LEGAL AFFAIRS DIVISION STATED THAT NAJIB “MUST COMPLY” WITH THE STIPULATED CONDITIONS OF THE RELEASE. SHOULD HE FAIL TO SETTLE THE FINANCIAL PENALTY, THE CONDITIONAL PARDON WILL BE REVOKED IMMEDIATELY, FORCING HIM TO FINISH HIS TERM BEHIND BARS AT KAJANG PRISON. THE 50 MILLION RINGGIT FINE IS PART OF A REDUCED SENTENCE GRANTED BY THE PREVIOUS KING IN JANUARY 2024, WHICH HAD HALVED HIS ORIGINAL SENTENCE.

BACKGROUND ON NAJIB RAZAK’S 1MDB CORRUPTION CONVICTION

NAJIB, 73, SERVED AS MALAYSIA’S PRIME MINISTER FROM 2009 TO 2018. IN JULY 2020, A MALAYSIAN COURT SENTENCED HIM TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON AND FINED HIM 210 MILLION RINGGIT ON THREE COUNTS OF CRIMINAL BREACH OF TRUST, THREE COUNTS OF MONEY LAUNDERING, AND ONE COUNT OF ABUSE OF POWER. THOSE INITIAL CHARGES INVOLVED THE TRANSFER OF 42 MILLION RINGGIT FROM SRC INTERNATIONAL, A FORMER SUBSIDIARY OF THE STATE INVESTMENT FUND 1MALAYSIA DEVELOPMENT BERHAD (1MDB), INTO HIS PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNTS IN 2014 AND 2015. HE BEGAN SERVING HIS PRISON TERM IN AUGUST 2022.

IN JANUARY 2024, THE PARDONS BOARD UNDER THE FORMER KING, SULTAN ABDULLAH RI’AYATUDDIN AL-MUSTAFA BILLAH SHAH, CUT NAJIB’S PRISON TERM TO SIX YEARS AND REDUCED HIS FINANCIAL PENALTY. EVEN AFTER THAT PARTIAL REDUCTION, NAJIB’S LEGAL TEAM INSISTED THAT AN ADDENDUM ORDER EXISTED FOR HIM TO SERVE THE REMAINDER OF HIS TERM AT HOME. ALTHOUGH THE HIGH COURT RULED LAST YEAR THAT THE ADDENDUM ORDER WAS NOT ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN DISCUSSED DURING THE JANUARY 2024 BOARD MEETING, NAJIB PURSUED FURTHER LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE Avenues BEFORE THE MATTER RETURNED TO THE PARDONS BOARD.

SOCIAL MEDIA LEAK PRECEDED OFFICIAL PARDONS BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT

THE DECISION TO GRANT CONDITIONAL HOUSE ARREST FOLLOWED DAYS OF INTENSE PUBLIC SPECULATION AND LEAKED DOCUMENTS. LATE ON THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, PAPERWORK PURPORTEDLY SIGNED BY SULTAN IBRAHIM AND FEDERAL TERRITORIES MINISTER HANNAH YEOH CIRCULATED WIDELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, INDICATING THAT NAJIB WOULD FINISH HIS TERM AT HOME.

FEDERAL TERRITORIES MINISTER HANNAH YEOH PUBLICLY DENIED THE LEGITIMACY OF THOSE CIRCULATING PAPERS BEFORE THE BOARD CONVENER, STATING IN A FACEBOOK POST THAT SHE HAD NOT SIGNED THEM AND THAT THE PARDONS BOARD HAD NOT YET MET. HER PRESS SECRETARY ALSO FILED A REPORT WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES REGARDING THE FAKE DOCUMENTS. FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2025, THE LEGAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CONFIRMED THE VALIDITY OF THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE FORMER LEADER WILL LEAVE PRISON.