KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil denied allegations on Jan 8 that a royal document permitting former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest had been concealed.
Speaking at a press briefing, Mr. Fahmi, who also serves as the government spokesperson, said he had not been informed of or received such a document.
The controversy surrounds a letter from the palace of Malaysia’s former king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, who granted Najib a pardon and reduced his sentence in 2024. The palace confirmed the authenticity of the letter on Jan 4, which claims the existence of an “addendum order” allowing Najib house arrest.
Najib’s legal team argues that the government has ignored this document. On Jan 6, the Court of Appeal overturned a prior dismissal of Najib’s legal attempt to access the document, sending the case back to the High Court for review.
Mr. Fahmi emphasized that the government would abide by the principle of sub judice and allow the judiciary to handle the matter. “We take note that the Court of Appeal has remitted the case to the High Court, so we must consider the views and advice of the attorney-general to avoid prejudicing the case,” he stated.
Najib, imprisoned for his involvement in the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fraud, had his original 12-year sentence halved in 2024 through a royal pardon. However, both Najib and the former king’s palace claim the pardon also included provisions for house arrest.
The former premier, convicted in 2020 for criminal breach of trust and abuse of power, continues to face several ongoing 1MDB-related corruption trials, maintaining his innocence in all cases.