By Salma El-Sakka
Malaysia's national palace declared Saturday that the royal decision allowing imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest is clear and must be respected, warning that challenges to the order amount to defying the king.
The statement came a day after the attorney general temporarily blocked Najib's transfer from prison to house arrest, citing a need for further legal clarification. Najib had left prison Friday after his party paid a 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) fine required under the terms of a royal pardon, but was returned to custody hours later.
Palace Affirms Pardon Conditions Met
The palace said all conditions attached to Najib's conditional pardon had been fulfilled and that the royal prerogative of pardon must be respected. It emphasized there should be no confusion over the interpretation of the pardon and no prolonged uncertainty over its implementation.
Attorney General Cites Legal Ambiguities
The attorney general's office raised concerns about legal ambiguities in the house arrest order and how it could affect Najib's consecutive 15-year prison sentence from a separate trial. It said the delay was not meant to contest the royal pardon but to ensure accurate implementation in line with the law.
Najib's Conviction and Pardon
Najib has been imprisoned since August 2022 after Malaysia's top court upheld his conviction in the first graft trial linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of state investment fund 1MDB. In September, King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted him clemency, allowing him to serve the rest of his reduced six-year sentence at home once he paid a court-imposed fine.
Separate 15-Year Sentence Remains
The house arrest applies only to the reduced six-year sentence from the first trial. It does not cover a separate 15-year prison sentence imposed in December 2025 for corruption and money laundering in a second major 1MDB-related trial. Najib is appealing that sentence.
Political Influence Persists
Public outrage over the 1MDB scandal led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the ruling coalition that had governed Malaysia since independence. Despite his conviction, Najib retains influence in his party, the United Malays National Organisation, which is part of the government that took power in 2022.
