Malaysia’s Legal Battle Over Najib’s Alleged Pardon Document Escalates

Malaysia's attorney-general's chambers has taken decisive action by seeking a gag order to halt public discussions surrounding former Prime Minister Najib Razak's ongoing judicial review claim. The contentious claim revolves around an alleged document that purportedly permits Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. This development adds another layer to the legal saga of Najib, who was convicted in 2020 for his role in the infamous 1MDB scandal.

Najib, found guilty of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power, was jailed for illegally receiving funds misappropriated from a unit of the state investor, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). In his current legal maneuver, Najib is pushing to compel authorities to acknowledge and implement an "addendum order," which he claims was issued last year as part of a pardon by then-King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. According to Najib, this order entitles him to serve his remaining sentence at home.

Despite Najib's assertions, Malaysia's law ministry has declared it has no record of such a document, while the home minister has also denied any knowledge of its existence. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has addressed the controversy, stating unequivocally, "We did not hide anything." However, a letter from the former king's palace has surfaced, indicating that the document does indeed exist.

Najib maintains that the authorities ignored the former king's addendum order when they announced the halving of his sentence last year. This claim gained traction when the Court of Appeal overturned the dismissal of Najib's attempt to access the document, a decision which Najib celebrated as "one step forward." The case, however, involves sensitive issues, as highlighted by Shamsul Bolhassan, deputy chief of the chambers' civil division.

On January 6, 2025, Najib's supporters showed their solidarity by gathering outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya during his appeal hearing. The issue has undoubtedly stirred significant public interest and debate across Malaysia.