Malaysia’s king granted former premier Najib Razak house arrest, reopening political debate over corruption, clemency and coalition tensions.
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, the prime minister’s legal department said Friday.
Najib, 73, was convicted over corruption linked to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, scandal. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and has argued that he was made a scapegoat for a complex international scheme.
The latest decision marks Najib’s second royal pardon. In 2024, his original 12-year prison sentence was reduced by half, while his fine was also cut. He has remained an influential figure within the United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, despite being imprisoned.
Najib was separately convicted in December 2025 in another 1MDB-related case and sentenced to 15 years in prison, along with a fine of 11.4 billion ringgit, or about $2.8 billion. He has appealed that conviction.
The latest clemency decision could deepen tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan alliance has opposed leniency for Najib, while UMNO remains part of the governing coalition.
Anwar called on Malaysians to accept the king’s decision and said his government remained committed to fighting corruption and abuse of power. He stressed that the decision did not change the administration’s position on graft.
The house-arrest decision comes ahead of Malaysia’s next general election, due by early 2028, although Anwar has previously indicated that a snap election could be considered if coalition tensions intensify.