Malaysia's Najib Razak remains in prison as AGC seeks clarification on house arrest
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The Attorney-General's Chambers has asked for a temporary halt to Najib Razak's house arrest pending legal clarification, while his lawyers argue the royal pardon conditions have been met.
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak stayed in Kajang Prison on Friday after the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) called for a temporary suspension of his house arrest, citing complex legal questions about the interpretation of his conditional royal pardon. The AGC issued the statement hours after Najib paid the RM50 million fine imposed in the SRC International case, which was intended to allow the remainder of his sentence to be served under house arrest.
"We call on the Commissioner General of Prisons to complete our client’s release into house arrest without delay," Najib’s lawyers said in a statement.
The law firm representing Najib, Shafee & Co, contested the AGC’s position, asserting that all conditions of the royal pardon had been satisfied and that there was no lawful basis for keeping him in prison. They pointed to a September 18 Pardons Board secretariat statement that specified house arrest after fine payment, and to sealed High Court orders authorising his discharge following the fine payment.
The AGC argued that further clarification was needed on whether the fine payment meant Najib must continue serving his sentence under house arrest until August 2028, and how the SRC International sentence interacts with the separate 1MDB case, which requires the SRC term to be completed first. The agency described the situation as unprecedented and said clear legal guidance was required before any further steps.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Najib left the prison for a dental appointment, while UMNO confirmed the fine had been paid after a crowdfunding campaign reached its target. Najib’s aide and the party’s secretary-general noted that the fundraising effort had concluded, eliminating the need for further public contributions.
Najib, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, has been incarcerated since 2022 following convictions in the SRC International and a separate 1MDB-related case. He continues to appeal the latter conviction.