Shafee claims ‘prison-style’ security for Najib’s house arrest “ridiculous”

Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah clarified that house arrest is distinct from parole and remission, stating it is not an uncommon arrangement for prisoners. Following the conditional pardon allowing Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve his sentence at home, Shafee addressed the speculation surrounding the working of house arrest. He emphasized that house arrest and parole are separate mechanisms through which a prisoner's incarceration period could be shortened.

House arrest involves serving a sentence outside prison, while parole entails a distinct process determined by a parole board. Shafee reaffirmed that house arrest is not unusual, referencing similar arrangements made for other prisoners in the past. He explained that these arrangements, known as licences, allowed prisoners to temporarily return home within certain conditions, ranging from seven days to a month.

The implementation of house arrest was facilitated through these licences. Shafee acknowledged that much of the public discourse regarding Najib's house arrest was speculative, particularly concerning the conditions that might be imposed. He noted that his legal team had limited information as they had not yet received the official letter outlining the terms of Najib's conditional pardon.

Currently, Najib, 73, remains confined at Kajang Prison, awaiting the fulfillment of the conditions attached to his conditional pardon.