Najib Razak house arrest pardon sparks Malaysia row

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak's conditional royal pardon to serve the rest of his current jail sentence under house arrest has triggered a new row in Malaysia over the 1MDB corruption scandal.

King Sultan Ibrahim granted Najib's request on Friday to complete the remainder of his six-year sentence at home, provided he pays a 50-million-ringgit fine, about $12 million. Officials from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's legal affairs division previously said the pardon would run until August 23, 2028, and would be revoked if Najib breaches its conditions.

Najib, 73, was jailed in 2022 over his role in the 1MDB scandal. He is also appealing a separate 15-year prison term in another 1MDB-related case.

Critics said Najib should remain in prison, while supporters welcomed the king's decision and began raising money to help him pay the fine. Local media reported donations had topped one million ringgit by Monday, with some critics contributing tiny sums in protest.

James Chow, a 49-year-old entrepreneur, questioned how a convicted former leader with more cases pending could be allowed house arrest. Shyam Priah, chief executive of a non-profit organisation, said she respected the king's constitutional power to grant a pardon but questioned efforts to mobilise ordinary Malaysians to pay the fine.

Supporter Radiaa Rashid said Najib's backers had long awaited house arrest. Another supporter, Suzzalina Anura, said Najib would at least be at home with his family even if he was not released.

The case has also renewed pressure on UMNO, Najib's party, as it tries to keep the support of loyalists while moving beyond the scandal before elections due by February 2028. Bridget Welsh of the University of Nottingham Malaysia said the fundraising effort may help party unity but risks alienating younger and centrist voters.

Prosecutors say about $4.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB in the 2010s, prompting investigations in Malaysia and the United States. The scandal helped end UMNO's six-decade hold on power in 2018, but Najib remains influential among parts of its grassroots base.