Prisons Dept says still waiting for official notice before Najib’s house arrest can start

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The Malaysian Prisons Department is still awaiting official notification before commencing former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's house arrest following his conditional pardon from prison. The Federal Territories Pardons Board gave Najib a conditional pardon on Friday, allowing him to complete the remaining portion of his SRC International sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, subject to conditions such as the payment of a RM50 million fine.

The Home Ministry and Malaysian Prisons Department are awaiting the official written decision from the Pardons Board to determine the next steps. Any information regarding the Pardons Board's decision will be sent through official channels before being submitted to the Prisons Department for further action, according to the department's statement.

The department emphasized that it is prepared to act on any instructions received from relevant authorities in compliance with the law, prison regulations, and procedures. They also urged all parties to rely on official sources and avoid speculation about the implementation of the decision. Najib, who has been incarcerated at Kajang Prison since August 2022, is serving a six-year jail term after the Federal Territory Pardons Board reduced his original 12-year sentence and RM210 million fine to six years and RM50 million for the SRC International case.

The conditional royal pardon enables him to serve the remaining sentence under house arrest, with the RM50 million fine remaining as a condition attached to the decision.