KUALA LUMPUR – Former Malaysian premier Najib Razak, who was convicted of graft and money laundering related to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, could be released by 2028 after his jail sentence was halved by a pardons board on Feb 2

The board, chaired by Malaysia’s King, did not give a reason for halving Najib’s sentence in its statement. It said it made the decision this week after reviewing an application for a royal pardon by Najib, who began serving a 12-year jail term in August 2022.

The reduction in Najib’s sentence comes amid accusations that the Anwar administration is backsliding on reforms, after a string of graft cases linked to Najib and other Umno leaders were dropped last year.

Datuk Seri Anwar campaigned on an anti-corruption platform but joined hands with Najib’s graft-tainted Umno to form a government in November 2022, after an election that ended in a hung Parliament.

The board’s decision on Jan 29 was among the last acts of former king Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah of Pahang state, who ended his five-year reign under Malaysia’s rotating system of monarchy this week.

He was succeeded on Jan 31 by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar from Johor in southern Malaysia.

Datuk Seri Anwar said he respected the king’s decision, adding that the pardons process was “beyond the prime minister or the government”.

Other corruption trials faced by Najib will continue, Mr Anwar said.

“At the same time, Najib has every right to again appeal to the king. The process has to be respected,” he said in an interview with broadcaster Al Jazeera on Feb 2.

Najib’s daughter Nooryana Najib said his family appreciated the reduced sentence but were disappointed he was not granted a full pardon and released immediately.

“Najib Razak and his family remain steadfast in our position and confidence that he is innocent,” she said in an Instagram post.

The board’s call prompted an uproar from critics who called on the government to explain its decision.

Youth party Muda, which withdrew its support for Mr Anwar in 2022 citing reform concerns, called on the prime minister to explain the rationale for reducing Najib’s sentence and whether the government agreed with the decision.

“This will have a great impact on Malaysia’s image in the eyes of the world, including our reputation, in terms of the economy and the legal system,” it said.

The fines imposed on Najib will also be reduced to RM50 million (S$14.2 million) from RM210 million, the pardon board’s secretariat said in a statement on Feb 2. It said if Najib failed to pay the fine given, an additional year would be imposed on his jail term.

Najib was jailed for graft linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), from which US and Malaysian investigators estimate US$4.5 billion (S$6 billion) was stolen and more than US$1 billion channelled to accounts linked to the former premier.

He applied for a royal pardon shortly after his conviction and his sentence was upheld by Malaysia’s highest court, making him the first premier in the country’s history to be jailed.

Najib, 70, has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying he was misled by fugitive financier Jho Low and other 1MDB officials over the source of the funds and that he believed they were donations from the Saudi royal family.

He remains on trial in several other cases linked to corruption at 1MDB.

Royal clemency

Malaysia’s king plays a largely ceremonial role and acts largely on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet. But the monarch can grant clemency to convicts under discretionary powers granted by the federal constitution, with advice from a pardons board.

The pardons board, which advises the King, includes the Attorney-General and government officials.

Najib’s application was among five other pardon bids reviewed on Jan 29 by the board, chaired by former king Sultan Abdullah, the statement said.

News of the pardons board meeting earlier this week had sparked a wave of media speculation, with one prominent Malay-language newspaper forced to withdraw a report citing sources saying that Najib had been granted a full pardon.

Najib was voted out of power in 2018 amid public anger over 1MDB, ending the rule of Umno, which had governed Malaysia for six decades since independence.

Umno returned to power just two years later, amid political turmoil. It was voted out again in the 2022 election, but partnered with Anwar’s coalition to form a majority. REUTERS