Malaysian Court Rejects Najib Razak's Bid to Serve Sentence Under House Arrest

A Malaysian court has dismissed former Prime Minister Najib Razak's legal bid to obtain a document that he claimed would allow him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest. Najib, who is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence for graft in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, had filed a judicial review application in April, seeking to compel the government to respond to or confirm the existence of a purported "addendum order" issued by the former king. 

Why it Matters : The decision is significant as it means Najib will have to continue serving his sentence in prison, rather than being allowed to serve it under house arrest. This is a major blow to Najib's hopes of a more comfortable sentence, and is likely to be seen as a victory for the Malaysian government, which has been under pressure to ensure that Najib is held accountable for his role in the 1MDB scandal.

In his application, Najib had claimed that the "addendum order" would entitle him to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest, and had sought to compel the government to respond to or confirm the existence of the order. However, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found that there was no arguable case warranting a full hearing of Najib's application, and described affidavits filed by Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and another high-ranking politician from Najib's party as hearsay. 

Najib's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, has said that they will appeal the decision, and may consider filing a separate writ to compel the government to respond. 

The 1MDB scandal, which is estimated to have involved the theft of $4.5 billion, has been a major embarrassment for Malaysia, and Najib's conviction and sentencing have been seen as a significant step towards accountability. Najib still faces at least three more trials linked to 1MDB, and his lawyers have maintained that he is a victim of a conspiracy led by fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho. 

The decision is likely to have significant implications for Najib's future, as well as for the Malaysian government, which has been under pressure to ensure that those responsible for the 1MDB scandal are held accountable. Najib's lawyers have vowed to appeal the decision, and it remains to be seen how the case will unfold in the coming months.

Key Takeaways

• Najib's bid for house arrest has been rejected by the Malaysian court.
• The decision means Najib will have to continue serving his sentence in prison.
• Najib's lawyers plan to appeal the decision and may consider filing a separate writ.
• The 1MDB scandal is estimated to have involved the theft of $4.5 billion.
• Najib still faces at least three more trials linked to 1MDB.