Najib Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia, wants to carry out the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

Two months after his sentence in a corruption case was halved, former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is attempting to serve the remainder of his prison term under home arrest.

In his unexpected application, he claimed to have “clear information” that the then-king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had issued an order during the pardon board meeting on January 29 that drastically lowered his punishment and halved his 12-year jail sentence, enabling him to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest.

Two months after his sentence in a corruption case was halved, former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is attempting to serve the remainder of his prison term under home arrest.

In his unexpected application, he claimed to have “clear information” that the then-king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had issued an order during the pardon board meeting on January 29 that drastically lowered his punishment and halved his 12-year jail sentence, enabling him to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest.

Described | Najib Razak and the Scandal at 1Malaysia Development Berhad

Najib requested from the court that the government confirm and execute the directive. Hearing on his application was scheduled for April 4, but it was moved to April 17.

Sultan Abdullah is from the same hometown as Najib

He accused seven organizations, including the attorney general, the home minister, and the pardons board, of hiding the sultan’s directive “in bad faith” in his application.

Later on Thursday, Sharfuddin Nasution Ismail, the home minister, said to reporters that he was not a member of the pardons board and that he had “no knowledge” of such an order.

The 1MDB development fund was established by Najib soon after he assumed government in 2009. Investigators claim that Najib’s allies took at least $4.5 billion from the fund and used it to pay lavish purchases of hotels, art, jewelry, and luxury yachts, as well as Hollywood movies. The money was allegedly laundered via many bank accounts in the United States and other nations. Najib received about $700 million in his bank accounts.

The party that has ruled Malaysia since independence was shockingly defeated in the 2018 election as a result of the national outcry over the scandal. After being convicted in 2020, Najib lost his last appeal in court two years later, becoming him the nation’s first former prime minister to be behind bars.

Najib maintains influence in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is a part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government that came to power following the 2022 elections, despite his conviction.

Najib has insisted on his innocence and claimed to have been tricked by Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho. Low, who is believed to be the scandal’s mastermind, is still at large.

Najib requested from the court that the government confirm and execute the directive. Hearing on his application was scheduled for April 4, but it was moved to April 17.

Sultan Abdullah is from Pahang, which is Najib’s homeland. On January 30, he put an end to his five-year rule under the peculiar rotating monarchy system of Malaysia. On January 31, a new king came into power.

Najib, 70, has completed less than two years of his sentence, which was shortened and was set to expire on August 23, 2028. In a corruption case connected to the multibillion-dollar embezzlement of public funds 1MDB, he was indicted and convicted.

Not long after assuming power in 2009, Najib established the 1MDB development fund. According to investigators, Najib’s accomplices stole at least $4.5 billion from the fund and used it to launder money through a network of bank accounts in the US and other nations. The money was used to pay lavish purchases of art, jewelry, hotels, and luxury yachts, as well as Hollywood productions. Najib’s bank accounts were credited with about $700 million.

The scandal shocked the country and caused the party that has ruled Malaysia since independence to lose the 2018 election. Following his sentencing in 2020, Najib lost his last legal appeal and was imprisoned two years later, becoming him the nation’s first former prime minister.