Malaysia’s King Insists Najib House Arrest Order Is Clear as Transfer Stays on Hold

Plans to move former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak out of prison and into his home have stalled. He has been behind bars since 2022 after a conviction for corruption and money laundering tied to the multibillion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. He has always denied any wrongdoing. His party covered a 50 million ringgit fine, about $12 million, to meet a requirement of the pardon Sultan Ibrahim granted in September, which would let him spend his last two years at home. A court order on Friday also allowed his release, yet the move was paused.

Attorney General Questions the Royal Pardon

The attorney general’s office said doubts had come up over how the pardon and the new court order should be read legally. Najib’s lawyers accused the government of overreach. The office replied that it never disputed, cancelled or tried to suspend the pardon, and that it only wanted clarity. It asked for the matter to go to court at once for a clear ruling and directions.

The King’s Response

On Saturday, Sultan Ibrahim said his order was clear, explicit and free of ambiguity, pointing out that the attorney general and the federal territories minister both sat in the pardons board meeting where it was issued. He said there should be no confusion and no drawn out uncertainty over carrying it out.

Role of Malaysia’s King and Sedition Law

Malaysia’s king, a post rotated among the nine regional sultans, has a mostly ceremonial role but holds discretionary power to grant pardons under the constitution. Royals are deeply respected, and negative remarks about them can be prosecuted under the colonial era Sedition Act.