KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Najib Razak says the required payment of RM50 million (US$12.2 million) as part of his conditional pardon and transfer to house arrest “does not lie in his own hands”, according to a statement released on his behalf by his legal team on Sunday (Sep 20).
The statement released by Messrs Shafee & Co. said that a significant part of Najib’s assets, bank accounts and properties remained subject to freezing orders and enforcement proceedings by the government and their disposal was not within his sole control.
“In those circumstances, our client is presently taking advice and considering his options as to how best to give effect to the condition,” the statement added.
Najib, who will be allowed to serve his remaining jail term at home until Aug 23, 2028, following a conditional pardon granted by Malaysia’s king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on Friday, was “profoundly grateful” to those who had offered their support and assistance, according to Sunday’s statement.
He expressed particular gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also president of Najib’s party UMNO and chairman of political coalition Barisan Nasional, of which UMNO is a lynchpin party.
However, the statement also stressed that the former prime minister “does not wish the party, its members and supporters, or members of the public to feel burdened or obliged on his account”.
“He remains profoundly grateful to those who, entirely of their own free will and according to their respective means, have chosen to offer their support and assistance. Their kindness is a source of great strength to him at this time,” the statement said.
The decision to allow Najib to serve the remainder of his six-year prison term at home was made during the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board, which was chaired by Sultan Ibrahim.
The decision came after the board met on Friday, a week after it deferred consideration of Najib’s application at its Sep 11 meeting.
The meeting at the king’s official residence, Istana Negara, was attended by the Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and other members.
In an official statement released Friday and quoted in local media, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department confirmed that the conditional pardon remains strictly subject to Najib fulfilling all specified conditions – including payment of the RM50 million fine.
“He must comply with all set conditions. If he fails to comply with any of these terms, the conditional pardon will be automatically revoked, and he must immediately serve the remainder of his sentence in prison,” the statement read.
Najib was initially sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million in July 2020 on three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power.
The charges involved the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), into his personal bank accounts in 2014 and 2015.
After securing a partial royal pardon in January 2024 his jail term was halved and his fine reduced to RM50 million.
The 73-year-old began serving his jail term in Katong Prison August 2022, but even after the partial royal pardon, Najib had insisted that the then-King, Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, had issued an addendum order for him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Najib’s legal team added on Sunday that since his transfer to house arrest depends upon the conditions attached being satisfied, he will remain in Kajang Prison in the meantime and “until the fine is paid to the court”.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) chief Anthony Loke has announced his resignation as Transport Minister in protest over the conditional royal pardon granted to Najib.
The party’s other ministers will remain in Cabinet to maintain political stability, he said at a press conference on Saturday evening after an emergency meeting of DAP’s Central Executive Committee.
Legal experts told CNA that pardon for Najib breaks new legal ground for the country and could pave the way for other convicted prisoners to seek similar treatment.
PM Anwar said the Pardons Board’s decision does not weaken the government’s stance against graft and abuse of power.
He said all cases, including those involving Najib that are still ongoing, must proceed according to due process, local news outlet New Straits Times reported.
UMNO president Zahid welcomed the conditional pardon for Najib, describing it as “very meaningful” for the former prime minister and the party.
“UMNO expresses our profound gratitude to His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia,” he said in a statement on Friday, as quoted by New Straits Times.
