KUALA LUMPUR – Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will know tomorrow whether he can leave prison and serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
High Court Judge Datuk Alice Loke is scheduled to deliver her decision on Najib’s judicial review, in which the former prime minister is seeking to serve the rest of his sentence at home.
Reports said that Najib supporters were seen gathering outside his house in Jalan Langgak Duta, here, from this evening, in anticipation of tomorrow’s verdict.
Najib is currently serving a jail term imposed by the High Court after being convicted of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.
He has exhausted all stages of appeal after failing to overturn his conviction and sentence. Najib is scheduled for release on 23 August 2028, although failure to settle his fine would extend the sentence by one year to 23 August 2029.
Judicial review over alleged addendum order
On 1 April 2024, Najib filed an application for leave to pursue a judicial review, claiming the existence of an additional royal order purportedly allowing him to serve his sentence under house arrest.
He named the Home Minister, Prisons Director-General, Attorney-General, Federal Territories Pardons Board, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Director-General of the Legal Affairs Division and the Government as respondents.
Najib sought a mandamus order compelling the respondents to confirm and certify the alleged addendum order dated 29 January 2024. He also asked for an order requiring him to be immediately transferred from Kajang Prison to his Kuala Lumpur residence to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
On 4 July 2024, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed his leave application, ruling that the affidavit in support contained hearsay evidence. Najib then appealed to the Court of Appeal, where he succeeded by a 2-1 majority, with the matter remitted to the High Court for a full hearing.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers appealed to the Federal Court, but on 13 August, a three-judge panel chaired by then Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim dismissed the appeal and upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision for a full High Court hearing.
The case returned to the High Court before Justice Alice Loke, who heard submissions from all parties and fixed 22 December for the decision. – December 21, 2025