6-1-2025 (PUTRAJAYA) Malaysia’s Court of Appeal has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak permission to pursue his claim regarding a purported royal decree that would allow him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest.
The court, in a split 2-1 decision, reversed a previous High Court ruling that had dismissed Najib’s application to review his sentence. The 71-year-old former premier is currently serving time in Kajang Prison for his involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Justice Mohd Firuz bin Jaffril, delivering the court’s decision, cited new evidence presented by Najib’s son as grounds for allowing the case to proceed. The judges determined that Najib’s application warranted a full hearing, provided it demonstrated legitimate grounds and was not deemed frivolous.
The ruling comes amidst growing tension between Najib’s supporters and Malaysia’s current establishment. Approximately 300 demonstrators, organised by the Islamist party PAS, gathered outside Putrajaya’s Palace of Justice in solidarity with the former leader.
“The government should permit Najib’s return home, as his son Nizar has produced the sultan’s order,” said Rosli Mamat, a 42-year-old supporter from Najib’s constituency in Pekan, Pahang.
However, the path to house arrest remains contentious. Sultan Ibrahim, Malaysia’s current king, issued a rare public statement emphasising his exclusive authority over pardons and sentence modifications. The Attorney General’s Chambers further clarified that clemency petitions must be presented through formal channels via the pardons board.
The political implications of Monday’s ruling reverberated through Malaysia’s coalition government. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Najib’s former party, cancelled its planned participation in Monday’s rally following a stern advisory from the National Palace about respecting constitutional procedures.
Najib’s sentence was previously reduced from 12 to six years in February 2024 by a pardons board chaired by then-King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. His legal team has now submitted documentation allegedly confirming Sultan Abdullah’s supplementary decree permitting house arrest for the remainder of his sentence.
The case has rekindled public discourse about the 1MDB scandal, which led to Najib’s downfall in the 2018 elections and exposed widespread corruption in Malaysian governance. The scandal’s global reach has spawned numerous media adaptations and continues to influence Malaysian politics.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government faces mounting pressure as coalition partners express concerns about potential political destabilisation. The case will now return to the High Court for a comprehensive hearing, marking another chapter in Malaysia’s ongoing political saga.
