Explain house arrest conditions, Pejuang urges home minister

Pejuang, a political group, has called on Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to clarify the details and requirements for individuals granted house arrest, particularly in the case of former Prime Minister Najib Razak. The group's Information Chief, Rafique Rashid Ali, emphasized the importance of ensuring Najib's house arrest has no legal ambiguities, as part of his conditional pardon.

Rafique, a lawyer, pointed out that Article 8 of the Federal Constitution guarantees equal treatment and protection under the law for all citizens. He warned that failing to provide clear, transparent guidelines for house arrest could create an appearance of double standards, with the law being applied more leniently to elites and more strictly to ordinary people.

Earlier in the day, Malaysia's Prime Minister's Department announced that following a meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) had granted Najib the opportunity to complete his six-year prison term at his residence, provided he settles a RM50 million fine related to his SRC International case.

Under this conditional pardon, Najib will serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, contingent upon the payment of the fine. The original sentence was 12 years, but has been reduced by the Pardons Board in February 2024, and the fine was also reduced from RM210 million to RM50 million.