Najib Remains in Prison as House Arrest Order Is Reviewed

Malaysia’s Attorney-General’s Chambers has kept former Prime Minister Najib Razak in prison while it reviews the legal effect of a High Court order that was expected to allow him to serve the remainder of a reduced sentence under house arrest. The review has delayed implementation of the conditional royal pardon, although Istana Negara said its conditions had been met.

The palace said the pardon made house arrest conditional on payment of a RM50 million fine and that all conditions had been fulfilled. Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, said Umno deposited the fine with the Kuala Lumpur High Court registry on November 6. The palace also said the pardon did not affect Najib’s other cases.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers said Najib would remain in prison as it examined how the High Court order should be interpreted. The central legal question, according to the chambers, is whether payment satisfied only the fine condition while Najib’s prison term continued, or whether the sentence in the SRC International case was completed.

Najib’s lawyer said the High Court ordered him to serve the balance of that sentence at home. His legal team has accused the attorney general of...