Malaysia’s Ex-PM Najib’s Pardon Bid Delayed by Pardons Board

Ex-PM Najib's pardon application deferred as his jail term ends in 2028. Sultan approves postponement.

September 12, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — The Federal Territories Pardons Board has postponed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s request for a pardon, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The board met on Friday, September 11, and decided to delay the consideration of Najib’s application until a future session. His current sentence is set to conclude on August 23, 2028, after he received a partial royal pardon in January 2024 that reduced his jail time and fine.

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Najib, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million in 2020 over corruption charges tied to the 1MDB scandal, had previously sought house arrest under an addendum order. However, a court ruled the order invalid because it wasn’t reviewed during the pardons meeting. He later withdrew his appeal without explanation.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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