Malaysia's former premier Najib Razak was sent to prison yesterday to begin his 12-year sentence, after failing in his final appeal against a graft conviction for misappropriating millions of dollars from a company linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Malaysia's highest court, the Federal Court, yesterday upheld Najib's conviction on seven counts of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving SRC International, which was a subsidiary of state fund 1MDB.

He was taken to Kajang Prison, south of Kuala Lumpur, in a police four-wheel drive, escorted by other police vehicles.

In July 2020, Najib, 69, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million (S$65.5 million) after being found guilty of receiving about RM42 million (S$13 million) from SRC International in his personal bank account. The verdict was upheld by a three-member Court of Appeal last December.

But he was allowed to post bail and live freely pending his appeal, allowing him to make a political comeback and play an influential role in his party Umno.

The five-member Federal Court bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ruled against Najib yesterday, after a week in which his defence team - which saw a revolving door of lawyers - refused to make any written or oral submissions in defence of their client.

Tengku Maimun said the defence was inconsistent and had failed to raise reasonable doubt.

"These appeals are therefore unanimously dismissed and the conviction and sentence are affirmed," she said before the proceedings ended.

Najib's team resorted to seeking several adjournments and making applications outside of the main appeal in order to delay the court hearing since it began last week.

His defence team opted to rely on its adjournment attempts instead of making fresh arguments, citing a lack of preparation.

Lawyers from five firms have at various times represented him during the five-day appeal hearing and he discharged one of them after the third day. Before the bench delivered its decision, Najib addressed the court and claimed that he was not given a fair trial.

"As an accused and appellant at the final stage of a case, it is the worst feeling to have, to realise that the might of the judicial machinery is pinned against me in the most unfair manner," he said.

Najib cited the court's rejection of his new lawyers' request for more time to prepare his appeal.

His lawyers had asked for the court to adjourn for three to four months, with Najib yesterday asking for two months.

"The upshot of what I am asking is a mere two months' postponement adjournment of the hearing of the appeal as opposed to my life and liberty being shortened by 12 years of imprisonment, not to mention the astronomical sum of the fine," he said in a 20-page statement. The court did not budge.

Najib was seated in the dock when the decision was read out.

His wife Rosmah Mansor, who also faces graft charges in an unrelated case, and his three children were seated behind him.

The case is one of Najib's first five trials. He faces other charges including those involving 1MDB funds.

His jail sentence rules him out as a candidate for Malaysia's next general election, which is due by September next year. Najib - whose father Abdul Razak Hussein was Malaysia's second prime minister - has been an MP since 1976.

SEE THE BIG STORY