Malaysian Bar seeks disclosure of taxpayer cost of Najib house arrest, plans fresh court challenge

Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak lacks the financial means to pay the 50 million ringgit fine required to transition into house arrest, according to his legal team. This comes after the king granted Najib a conditional pardon to serve his sentence at home, with the stipulation that he pays the fine. The decision has sparked public outrage due to concerns over perceived leniency towards Najib, who is known for corruption allegations.

Najib's lawyers stated that he currently has no funds to cover the fine, as the government has frozen his bank accounts. Najib's lead lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, emphasized that Najib cannot afford to pay the fine independently. The house arrest decree is the second pardon Najib has received; previously, he served an 11.4 billion ringgit fine and had his 12-year prison sentence reduced to 15 years.

However, he now faces an additional 15-year jail term, along with a 2.2 billion ringgit fine, after a high court found him guilty of abuse of power and money laundering related to 1MDB funds. The former leader's legal team is also uncertain about the precise conditions of the pardon, as no official letter outlining the details has been provided. This uncertainty may hinder their ability to comply with the king's requirements.