Kuala Lumpur High Court Orders Najib Razak to House Arrest

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the immediate transfer of former Prime Minister Najib Razak from Kajang Prison to his residence in Taman Duta to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028. The ruling follows a conditional pardon granted by Sultan Ibrahim on September 18, which required Razak to pay a RM50 million fine. The fine was settled on November 6 through a solidarity fund launched by the Umno party.

The transfer faced a brief standoff after the Attorney General's Chambers suspended the move to seek clarification on a November 6 discharge order, citing legal defects and complex legal questions. This delay prompted the King of Malaysia to warn the government against challenging his authority regarding the royal pardon. High Court Judge Aslam Zainuddin resolved the dispute on November 10 by issuing a new warrant that canceled the previous order and removed legal ambiguities.

While Razak's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, stated the court's clarification removed all doubts, some critics, including Pasir Gudang MP Hassan, questioned the professionalism of the original legal documents. Razak continues to appeal a separate 15-year sentence for money laundering and abuse of power.