KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 – Former Prime Minister Najib Razak lost a court bid on Monday to serve the rest of his prison term under house arrest, dealing a fresh setback to the once-powerful leader jailed over the 1MDB scandal.
Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Alice Loke Yee Ching said a royal order allowing Najib to be placed under house arrest was not valid, and that the king cannot decide independently of the Pardons Board. Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said he would appeal the decision.
Najib had asked the court to compel the government to execute the royal order issued by former King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. But Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had said the house arrest order was not raised at a Pardons Board meeting, adding that any final decision must come from such a meeting.
The court decision complicates Najib’s prospects of returning to public life and political relevance. His prison term runs until 2028, and he can only seek public office five years after his release. The former king had already halved Najib’s prison sentence last year to six years, and reduced his fines.
Still, Najib retains significant influence in the United Malays National Organisation party, or UMNO, which has actively campaigned for his release. Anwar relies on UMNO’s support to remain in power.
Najib faces another crucial decision in Malaysian courts later this week. The High Court will rule on his final 1MDB-linked trial on Friday, and a fresh guilty verdict could set back the 72-year-old’s bid for freedom by years.
Najib has been in jail since 2022 for crimes related to 1MDB, a state investment fund that he set up during his time as prime minister. 1MDB became the center of a multi-billion-dollar scandal that spawned probes across continents. Najib has denied siphoning money from the fund.
