Hannah Yeoh confirms Pardons Board meeting as speculation over Najib’s bid mounts

Kuala Lumpur, September 10 — Hannah Yeoh, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Federal Territories, has confirmed that the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB) will convene tomorrow at 8:30am. Yeoh, who is part of the board due to her role, did not provide specifics on the agenda, stating, “We have been called, and that is all I can comment on for now.”

Reports suggest that Najib Razak’s application for pardons is likely to be a key item on the agenda. It remains uncertain whether the board will make an immediate decision or if they will opt for preliminary discussions. There is speculation that the board may consider allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest, although it is unclear if this will be formally debated during the meeting.

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, 72, was convicted for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International and sentenced to 12 years in prison, with a RM210 million fine. He commenced his sentence on August 23, 2022 at Kajang Prison. In 2024, the FT Pardons Board reduced his sentence to six years and the fine to RM50 million.

However, Najib and his legal team argued that the partial pardon included a royal directive for him to serve the remainder in house arrest, which was later rejected by the High Court in December 2023. Najib abandoned his further appeal against the High Court's ruling in April 2024.