Court to hear Najib’s bid to stay 1MDB sentence on Oct 14

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has filed an application with the High Court to halt the implementation of his recent 15-year prison sentence and RM11.387 billion fine related to the 1MDB scandal. Legal counsel Shafee Abdullah disclosed the request during a case management hearing, noting that a certificate of urgency has been submitted.

His primary aim is to pursue an appeal against the 1MDB conviction in the Court of Appeal, while also requesting that no warrant of committal be issued prior to the commencement of the 15-year sentence in 2028. The prosecution has indicated their intent to respond to Najib's application. The former premier was convicted in April 2020 of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering, involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB funds deposited into his personal accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The sentence, which includes the fine, is to begin six years after his release from a six-year prison term in the SRC International case. Despite the severity of the penalties, Najib's legal team had previously stated they would not seek a stay of execution at the time of sentencing, but have since retained the option to apply for one later.