Post by : Rohit Dhiman

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been granted a conditional pardon that could allow him to serve the remaining portion of his prison sentence under house arrest, according to a statement issued by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department. The decision was made during the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board. Under the arrangement, Najib can serve the remainder of his sentence outside prison and under house arrest, but the permission is subject to a financial condition. The condition requires Najib to pay a fine of RM50 million. The decision was granted by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim as part of the conditional pardon. Najib is currently serving a reduced prison sentence at Kajang Prison. He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison in connection with the SRC International case. In February 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board reduced the sentence to six years and lowered the original RM210 million fine to RM50 million. 

Background To Najib's Prison Sentence

Najib was sent to prison in August 2022 after Malaysia’s Federal Court rejected his final appeal in the SRC International case. The case centred on the misuse of funds linked to the former prime minister’s time in office. His imprisonment marked a major development in one of Malaysia’s most closely followed corruption cases. Najib had continued to challenge the legal proceedings after earlier courts found him guilty. The 2024 reduction of his sentence and fine came after the Pardons Board reviewed his case. The reduced sentence meant that he was scheduled to remain in custody until 2028, unless other legal or pardon-related developments affected the sentence. The latest decision introduces a conditional route for him to complete the sentence through house arrest rather than remaining in prison.

RM50 Million Fine Linked To House Arrest Condition

The financial condition is central to the latest decision. Najib must pay RM50 million for the house arrest arrangement to apply, according to the government statement. The amount is significantly lower than the original fine imposed in the SRC International case. The initial fine of RM210 million was reduced to RM50 million when his prison sentence was cut from 12 years to six years in 2024. The new arrangement therefore connects Najib’s potential transfer to house arrest with compliance with the financial condition imposed under the conditional pardon.

Najib Faces Separate 1MDB Conviction

The latest development comes as Najib is also facing another major legal case connected to the wider 1MDB scandal. In December 2025, he was convicted on charges involving abuse of power and money laundering related to more than RM2 billion connected to 1MDB. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of RM11.38 billion in that case.

Najib has appealed against that conviction.

The separate case is legally distinct from the SRC International conviction for which he is currently serving his reduced sentence. His legal position therefore involves multiple court proceedings and sentencing decisions.

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What The Conditional Pardon Means

The conditional pardon does not amount to the cancellation of Najib’s conviction. Instead, it provides a different arrangement for serving the remainder of the sentence, subject to the conditions announced by the Pardons Board. If the stated conditions are fulfilled, Najib would be able to complete the remaining period of his current sentence under house arrest rather than at Kajang Prison. The decision is another significant development in the long-running legal proceedings involving the former prime minister and the financial scandals associated with SRC International and 1MDB.

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