Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was escorted back to Kajang Prison on Friday evening after undergoing a medical check‑up and settling a 50‑million‑ringgit fine tied to his SRC International corruption case. The return came as the Attorney General’s Chambers announced that the scheduled house arrest, which had been approved under a conditional pardon, would be temporarily postponed pending further legal clarification.
Payment and Medical Examination
On Friday afternoon, Najib was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a medical examination, a routine step before his re‑arrival at the prison, according to the local newspaper Berita Harian. Earlier that day, his special officer—Ahmad Lutfi Azhar—had arrived at the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s criminal registry to arrange the payment of the 50‑million‑ringgit fine, one of the conditions of the pardon, reports from the Malaysian national news agency Bernama. Najib’s lawyer, Farhan Shafee, confirmed that the court had issued a house‑arrest order for the former prime minister.
Following the payment, a vehicle believed to be carrying Najib was seen leaving the prison grounds in the evening. Sources say that after the fine was cleared, Najib was officially re‑instated at Kajang Prison pending the court’s final decision on his house‑arrest status.
House Arrest Postponed
The Attorney General’s chambers released a statement on Friday afternoon saying that the implementation of Najib’s house‑arrest order had been temporarily deferred, "pending further legal clarification". The statement added that Najib should remain at his existing detention facility until the authorities issued new instructions or orders.
Earlier this year, Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department announced that Najib had received a conditional pardon that would allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, provided he fulfilled conditions including the payment of the fine. That pardon also reflected a reduction of his 12‑year sentence to six years, and a cut in the fine from 210 million ringgit to 50 million ringgit, according to reports from 2024.
Najib has been imprisoned since August 2022 on charges of abusing power related to SRC International, a former unit of the state investment fund 1MDB. The latest development confirms that the former leader remains in Kajang Prison as authorities seek clarification on how the house‑arrest order will be applied following his payment and health clearance.
Spotlight on the outcome and impact of Najib’s case will continue as legal experts and court officials provide further updates. As of now, Najib is back at Kajang Prison, awaiting the next step in the legal process that will determine whether he can resume the house‑arrest arrangement stipulated in his pardon. The situation remains in flux, with the authorities indicating that the decision will be re‑examined before a final arrangement is made.