Najib Razak, the imprisoned former prime minister of Malaysia, was granted house arrest in a second royal pardon

Malaysia's king on Friday consented to permit jailed former premier Najib Razak to complete the rest of his sentence under house arrest, marking a second royal pardon regarding his conviction linked to a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal. Najib, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was convicted of corruption linked to the misappropriation of billions of dollars associated with 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state investment fund he co-established during his tenure in office. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing. “King Sultan Ibrahim has agreed to grant a conditional pardon to Najib Razak, permitting him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028,” the prime minister's legal department stated in a release.

In the 1MDB scandal, over $1 billion is said to have flowed into accounts associated with Najib, who claims he has been unfairly portrayed as a scapegoat in a complicated, worldwide scheme that reportedly diverted as much as $4.5 billion in funds, according to US investigators.

Najib remains a controversial figure. It was the second pardon for Najib, who, under the previous king in 2024, had his 12-year sentence halved and the fines imposed on him reduced. Najib was convicted in a separate case related to 1MDB in December of the previous year, receiving a sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of $2.8 billion for abuse of power and money laundering. He has submitted an appeal in that case. Despite his incarceration, Najib, 73, remains a polarizing figure in Malaysian politics and continues to wield influence within the once-dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which is a component of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-party government.

Anwar's Pakatan Harapan alliance has expressed opposition to any leniency toward Najib, suggesting that a pardon could exacerbate divisions within his administration. Although the next election is scheduled for early 2028, Anwar has indicated that he may contemplate calling a snap poll should the divisions intensify. Anwar on Friday urged the public to graciously accept the king's will and affirmed his government's dedication to combating graft, stating that Malaysia would not “submit to the practice of thieves and corruption.” “This nation will henceforth take seriously any misconduct or abuse of power aimed at enriching any leader or citizen. This is our stance,” he stated.

Pakatan joined forces with its rival UMNO to establish a government in 2022 after a general election resulted in a hung parliament. However, tensions have since arisen due to several internal disputes, particularly regarding the handling of Najib. Anwar's public support has declined, and it remains uncertain how his coalition would perform if an early election were to be called. Pakatan faced significant defeats on two occasions in the past two months at the hands of UMNO's Barisan Nasional coalition during state elections.

The pardon is a significant victory for UMNO. UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that a collection fund will be established for party members and supporters to assist Najib in paying a 50 million ringgit ($12.27 million) fine associated with his house arrest, and he expressed gratitude to the king. “This development is of great importance for him (Najib) and his family, as well as the entire UMNO family, who have consistently maintained their hope and offered prayers during this period,” he stated on his Facebook page. It was unclear when Najib would be permitted to leave prison, and his lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. Syaza Shukri, a political scientist at the International Islamic University Malaysia, stated that the pardon was unfavorable for Anwar and advantageous for Najib's UMNO in the lead-up to the next election. “The consequences for Anwar and his administration are quite severe unless they can clarify to the public the constitutional framework and constraints they are dealing with,” she stated. “This represents a significant victory for UMNO, and they are likely to feel more assured and empowered moving forward, appearing poised to become the next government in waiting.”