Half in jail, half at home? Mat Sabu says to make it a rule for all, not a privilege for some

Kuala Lumpur, November 11 — Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has called for legislation that would require prisoners to serve half of their sentence in jail and the remainder under house arrest, as long as the rules are fair, transparent, and applied equally to all. The Kota Raja MP and minister for agriculture and food security made this suggestion the day after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was moved from Kajang Prison to Jalan Langgak Duta to serve the final six years of his sentence under house arrest.

"The law must apply fairly to everyone," Mat Sabu stated on Facebook. He emphasized that justice cannot be the privilege of select groups, and Malaysia cannot implement a two-tier justice system. Mat Sabu stressed that equality before the law cannot be compromised based on position, political influence, or family connections. He clarified that his stance is not motivated by any personal grievances with Najib or his family, but rather by the constitution and the rule of law.

He appealed to non-governmental organizations, legal professionals, and civil society to advocate for this mechanism so that all citizens can enjoy equal rights. As a gesture of his commitment, Mat Sabu offered to forgo his entire ministerial salary until the current Parliament term ends to help fund the NGOs spearheading this initiative.