Malaysia’s PM Najib Razak to Move to House Arrest Following $12.3M Pardon Fine
Malaysia's former leader Najib Razak gains house arrest after his party pays the 50 million ringgit fine required for royal clemency.
POLICY WIRE — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is scheduled to transition from incarceration to house arrest after his political organization settled a 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) penalty mandated by his royal pardon.
The 73-year-old former leader has been in custody since August 2022. His imprisonment followed after the nation’s highest court affirming his conviction in a case involving the multi-billion dollar embezzlement of funds from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad investment vehicle.
In September, the King of Malaysia issued a rare act of clemency, which permitted Najib to complete the remainder of his sentence for graft while at his private residence.
Asyraf Wajid Dusuki, the secretary-general of the United Malays National Organization, confirmed in a formal statement that the party successfully gathered the necessary funds through a donation campaign. He noted that the fine payment was finalized at the High Court early on Friday.
Settling this financial obligation was a mandatory requirement for the former premier to benefit from the royal pardon.
The exact timeline for Najib’s relocation has not yet been announced. Law enforcement officers were observed securing his Kuala Lumpur residence early Friday morning, with the primary access road to the property cordoned off.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
