KUALA LUMPUR — Former prime minister Najib Razak, 73, has filed a petition with the Kuala Lumpur High Court to suspend a newly‑imposed 15‑year prison sentence tied to the 1MDB corruption case. His lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told reporters the request will be heard on October 14.
Background of the case
Najib has been incarcerated since 2022 after a court found him guilty of graft and money‑laundering related to the theft of billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund he helped create while in office. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Last week, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim granted Najib a conditional royal pardon for his original conviction, allowing him to serve the remainder of that sentence under house arrest until an expected release in August 2028, provided he pays a fine of 50 million ringgit (about $12.27 million).
New sentence and request for stay
In addition to the house‑arrest order, Najib was sentenced in December 2025 to a further 15 years in prison for a separate 1MDB‑related conviction. The new term would begin after his house‑arrest period ends.
Shafee said that if Najib pays the fine and the court grants the stay, “there is a good chance he is released on the same day.” However, the exact terms of the house‑arrest order remain unclear because Najib’s legal team has not yet received the official pardon documents.
Financial constraints and party support
According to Shafee, Najib has been unable to pay the fine, noting that many of his assets remain frozen by the government. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Najib’s party, has launched a fundraising drive to help secure his release.
U.S. and Malaysian investigators have estimated that at least $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, with roughly $1 billion flowing into accounts linked to Najib. While Najib has apologized for the scandal’s mishandling, he maintains his innocence, claiming he was misled about the source of the funds.
Implications
The court’s decision on the stay request will determine whether Najib remains behind bars while he appeals the conviction. A stay could set a precedent for how high‑profile corruption cases are handled in Malaysia, especially when royal pardons intersect with ongoing legal proceedings.
Observers note that the outcome may influence public confidence in Malaysia’s anti‑corruption efforts and the perceived fairness of the judicial process.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
