Malaysia confirms existence of document central to ex-PM Najib’s house arrest bid, say reports
Sign up now: Get insights on the biggest stories in Malaysia
Najib Razak, who was prime minister between 2009 and 2018, was found guilty in 2020 of graft and money laundering linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on July 9 confirmed for the first time the existence of a royal order that jailed former premier Najib Razak says would allow him to serve his prison sentence for corruption at home, local media reported.
Najib, who was prime minister between 2009 and 2018, was found guilty in 2020 of graft and money laundering linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
In 2022, he was ordered to spend 12 years in prison for the crime
Najib, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, contends that the pardons board decision was accompanied by an “addendum order” from the former monarch granting him house arrest
Malaysia’s Court of Appeal in January allowed Najib’s bid to apply for a judicial review that would compel the government to confirm the existence of the addendum order and to execute it if it exists.
The former king’s palace has said the document does exist, but the Malaysian authorities, including its law and home ministries, have previously said they had no record or any knowledge of it.
But a lawyer acting on behalf of the Attorney-General said he did not dispute the existence of the addendum document, when questioned on the matter by a Federal Court judge on July 9, the New Straits Times daily reported.
Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan was reported as saying that the AGC was instead challenging the procedure through which the order was being submitted as evidence in Najib’s judicial review bid.
A spokesperson for Najib confirmed the lawyer’s remarks, which were made during a hearing on the government’s appeal against the former premier’s application.
The AGC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Malaysian and US investigators estimate US$4.5 billion (S$5.8 billion) was stolen from 1MDB in a complex, globe-spanning scheme.
More than US$1 billion was allegedly channelled to accounts linked to Najib, who helped start the fund. REUTERS
