November 11: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has begun serving the remainder of his current prison term under house arrest at his Kuala Lumpur residence after the Kuala Lumpur High Court cleared final legal objections to his royal clemency order on Tuesday, Al Jazeera and Malay Mail reported.
Key highlights
- Najib Razak, 73, arrived at his Kuala Lumpur home late Tuesday escorted by prison trucks and police vehicles after being held in Kajang Prison since August 2022, Al Jazeera reported.
- The transfer followed a Kuala Lumpur High Court order resolving procedural clarifications requested by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), according to Malay Mail and the New Straits Times.
- Najib qualified for house arrest under a September 2026 royal clemency order from King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar after his party, UMNO, paid a 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) fine via crowdfunding.
- The house arrest term runs until August 2028, after which the AGC sought confirmation that Najib must return to Kajang Prison to serve a separate 15-year sentence from a second 1MDB-linked conviction.
High Court resolves standoff between palace and attorney general
Najib had briefly exited Kajang Prison on Friday, November 6, after the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) paid his 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) court-imposed fine, Al Jazeera reported. However, he was returned to prison hours later after the Attorney General’s Chambers intervened to seek judicial clarification on the terms of the transition.
The postponement drew a rare public rebuke from Malaysia’s royal palace over the weekend. In an official statement cited by Al Jazeera, the palace declared that King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s constitutional prerogative of pardon allowing house arrest was unambiguous and warned that attempts to obstruct it amounted to defying a royal command.
On Tuesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted an application by the Attorney General’s Chambers that rectified the administrative terms of the transfer, clearing the way for Najib’s immediate release to his residence while specifying that he is scheduled to return to Kajang Prison when the house arrest order expires in August 2028, Malay Mail reported. Following the ruling, Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated that the Home Ministry was ready to enforce the house arrest order and urged political parties not to undermine public confidence in national institutions.
Timeline of Najib Razak’s 1MDB sentences and clemency
| Date | Development | Sentence / Financial Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2020 / Aug 2022 | Convicted in SRC International (1MDB) case; Federal Court upholds verdict | 12 years in prison and 210 million ringgit fine; jailed at Kajang Prison | Malaysiakini / Al Jazeera |
| Early 2024 | First royal pardons board reduction | Sentence halved from 12 years to 6 years; fine reduced to 50 million ringgit | Al Jazeera |
| 2025 | Convicted in second 1MDB-linked trial | Sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison (currently under appeal) | Al Jazeera |
| September 2026 | Second royal clemency granted by King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar | Permitted to serve remaining term under house arrest upon paying 50 million ringgit ($12.3M) fine | Al Jazeera |
| November 10, 2026 | Kuala Lumpur High Court clears transfer after UMNO pays fine | Confined to Kuala Lumpur residence until August 2028 | Malay Mail / New Straits Times |
Our calculation: Having entered Kajang Prison in August 2022 on a reduced six-year term running through August 2028, Najib served approximately four years and two months (about 70% of the reduced six-year custodial period) in prison before transitioning to house arrest for the remaining 21 months.
What to watch
While the High Court order settles Najib’s custody arrangements until August 2028, his legal future hinges on his pending appeal against the separate 15-year prison sentence handed down in 2025 in a broader 1MDB corruption trial. Najib’s lawyers have petitioned the courts to stay both the 15-year custodial term and its accompanying fines, citing his health and inability to pay, Al Jazeera reported.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: Malaysia’s Najib moved from prison to house arrest after royal clemency
- Malay Mail: Home Ministry says ready to carry out Najib’s house arrest
- Malay Mail: Najib’s house arrest: What did the AGC ask the High Court to clarify
- New Straits Times: Najib to begin house arrest today
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
