Najib's house arrest could hurt Malaysia's anti-graft credibility — TI-M

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) expressed concern that house arrest for former Prime Minister Najib Razak may damage Malaysia's reputation for fighting corruption. TI-M's president, Dr Raymon Ram, emphasized that while the organisation respects the Malaysian constitution's Article 42, which grants clemency power, Najib's conviction for RM42 million in SRC International case had been confirmed by the Federal Court.

Ram stressed that exceptional treatment of a convicted individual with political influence could erode public confidence in Malaysia's anti-corruption measures and set a precedent for similar treatment in future high-profile cases. He warned that this could weaken the deterrent effect of Malaysia's anti-corruption framework and harm the country's standing in global corruption rankings.

Ram urged Malaysia to maintain consistency in applying accountability principles, regardless of the political standing of those involved, to protect its progress in strengthening governance and institutional confidence.