Najib’s House Arrest Controversy: Government Seeks to Appeal Court Decision

In a dramatic turn of events, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak finds himself at the center of another legal battle. The Malaysian government is challenging a recent Court of Appeal decision that granted Najib permission to pursue a judicial review of his application to serve his sentence under house arrest. This development follows Najib's assertion that the then-king issued an addendum order allowing him to complete his sentence at home.

Najib Razak, who was convicted in 2020 for criminal breach of trust and abuse of power related to the infamous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, initially applied for house arrest in April of the previous year. He claimed to have clear information that the order came from a pardons board meeting on January 29 last year. His lawyer presented a letter from the Pahang state palace, purportedly confirming the royal decree issued by then-King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.

The High Court had previously dismissed Najib's affidavits as hearsay evidence. However, Justices Firuz Jaffril and Azhahari Kamal Ramli found that new evidence—including the letter from the Pahang palace—challenged this previous determination. Consequently, the Court of Appeal moved to allow Najib to initiate a judicial review.

The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has confirmed that Najib's application for the judicial review was submitted on February 5. The AGC expressed concerns about public discussions regarding Najib's claim and sought a gag order to prevent such discourse. The Court of Appeal reached its decision through a split ruling, which highlighted differing legal interpretations within the three-member panel.

Adding another layer to the unfolding saga, Najib had his original 12-year sentence for corruption halved in a pardon by Sultan Abdullah shortly before he stepped down as king. Despite this reduction, the current debate over his house arrest application continues to stir public interest and controversy.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim clarified that while the document was sent to the attorney-general, neither he nor other Pardons Board members received it. This has only fueled further speculation about the legitimacy and origins of the alleged royal order.