Najib Razak begins house arrest after Malaysia’s revised court order
Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak arrived at his Kuala Lumpur residence to begin house arrest after the High Court replaced an earlier order. His transfer followed legal questions that had kept him in prison despite a conditional royal pardon. The arrangement permits him to serve the remainder of his SRC International sentence at home until 23 August 2028, subject to the pardon’s conditions. The transfer took place on 10 November.
Geopolitics··Night
The transfer to Kuala Lumpur is completed
Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak arrived at his home in Kuala Lumpur on 10 November to begin serving the rest of his SRC International sentence under house arrest. The transfer followed a revised High Court order issued earlier that day. His residence is in Taman Duta, a neighbourhood of the capital.[1], [2]
A security convoy accompanied the silver sport utility vehicle bringing Najib to the property on Jalan Langgak Duta, a street in the same neighbourhood. Supporters had gathered outside and greeted him as the vehicles entered the compound. Family members and his lawyer Shafee Abdullah were also seen arriving. The former leader had remained in Kajang Prison, a Malaysian prison, while the wording of the earlier court order was reviewed.[1], [2]
A new warrant replaces the disputed order
High Court judge Aslam Zainuddin directed court officials to prepare a new release warrant after hearing submissions from Najib’s lawyers and prosecutors. The judge set aside the order dated 6 November and replaced it with an order allowing the remainder of the sentence to be served at home. The Attorney-General’s Chambers had requested a review of the previous document.[1], [2]
The Attorney-General’s Chambers questioned the previous order’s terminology and the legal provisions it invoked. It had been framed as an order of discharge on payment of the fine. The revised document instead authorised Najib to serve the rest of the sentence at home. His earlier release from prison had been deferred while prosecutors sought clarification of the document’s legal effect.[1], [2]
The sentence and pardon conditions
A conditional royal pardon granted by Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim on 18 September permits Najib to serve the remainder of the sentence at home until 23 August 2028. Its conditions include payment of a 50 million ringgit fine and compliance with the specified restrictions. The fine was paid before the transfer.[1], [2]
Najib was originally sentenced in 2020 to 12 years in prison and a 210 million ringgit fine in the SRC International case. The Federal Court upheld his conviction in August 2022, after proceedings involving abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering over 42 million ringgit in SRC funds. In January 2024, his prison sentence was halved to 6 years and the fine reduced to 50 million ringgit. That first reduction was granted during the reign of Malaysia’s then king, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.[1], [2]
