Najib di rumah, Umno di luar

Umno is celebrating outside, while Najib Razak is at home. The Malaysian High Court's State Appeal Board recently granted the former Prime Minister conditional pardon, allowing him to remain under house arrest for the remainder of his prison sentence. Tawfik Yaakub, a professor from the University of Malaya, told Malaysiakini that this decision could serve as a strong motivator for Umno's loyal supporters behind the party's leadership.

The question arises: Will Najib act as a sort of party adviser? If Umno members take his advice, how will it affect Zahid Hamidi's grip on the party? However, there is more to consider. Najib remains a convict and must adhere to the conditions set for his pardon. If he fails to comply with any of these conditions, the conditional pardon will be revoked and he will continue his remaining prison term.

The conditions for Najib's conditional pardon have not been publicly announced yet, making it difficult to answer the above questions. As for the specifics of Najib's house arrest, Malaysia does not have a formal house arrest system. Section 3(1) of the Penal Code Act 1997 states that the Minister can declare any house, building, enclosure, or part thereof as a prison for the purposes of this Act for the confinement of convicts or detainees under supervision and security.

However, Section 3(2) clarifies that the Minister can only declare such a location as a prison if it is determined by the Minister. Finally, it is worth noting that Najib still faces other legal issues. His 15-year prison sentence for the 1MDB scandal remains in effect, and he is currently appealing the decision. This article presents the author's opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of FMT.