KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s proposed laws allowing house arrest for certain offenders are aimed at addressing prison overcrowding and reducing recidivism rates, not at securing the release of jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil clarified on Friday.
The proposed legislation, part of the government’s 2025 budget plan, has stirred speculation that it could enable Najib and other politicians facing graft charges to avoid prison time. Najib is currently serving a prison sentence linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. However, Fahmi denied these claims, stating that the measure is in line with recent reforms towards restorative justice, including the abolition of mandatory death sentences and a moratorium on executions.
“This has nothing to do with any individual,” Fahmi emphasized. “We need to adapt to the times, as many other countries are moving towards restorative justice, and we aim to follow suit.”
The house arrest proposal stems from a government-backed study initiated last year, which found that allowing certain inmates with minor offenses to serve sentences at home significantly reduced re-offending rates. Malaysia’s prisons are currently over capacity, housing 87,000 inmates despite a capacity limit of 74,000.
This week, Najib issued an apology for his role in the 1MDB scandal, maintaining he had no knowledge of illegal transfers from the state fund. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed that he welcomed Najib’s apology.
Sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2022 for corruption, Najib’s term was later reduced by a royal pardons board. Najib is seeking to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, asserting that his royal pardon included a recommendation for home detention.