On November 6, 2026, a Malaysian court issued an order allowing former Prime Minister Najib Razak to transfer to house arrest. The order came after his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), paid his 50 million ringgit (about $12.3 million) fine. Paying the fine was a condition of a royal pardon that lets him serve the rest of his sentence at home.
How Najib’s Path Out of Kajang Prison Unfolded
On September 18, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim granted the conditional house arrest pardon. It was a second royal pardon over his conviction. The pardon lets Najib serve out his term at home until Aug 23, 2028, subject to the payment of the fine.
The same day, UMNO launched a public donation drive, the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund. Najib’s lawyers said he could not pay the fine himself because his bank accounts were frozen. By late September, UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the fund had collected RM9.25 million so far.
On November 6, UMNO announced that the fund had met its target and the fine had been paid. UMNO secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party was closing the account and that “there is no further need for crowdfunding for this purpose.” Later that day, Najib’s lawyer Farhan Shafee told reporters he had the court order and that “we will be delivering that order to the Kajang prison right now.” Najib has been held there since 2022. Shafee said the 73-year-old could go home on Friday if the process went according to plan, and Najib left Kajang Prison later that day. Police officers stood guard at the entrance to Najib’s house in Kuala Lumpur on November 6.
Why the Najib Decision Matters for Malaysia’s Government
Najib divides opinion in Malaysia, but he still has influence in UMNO, which is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multi-party government. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan alliance has strongly opposed leniency towards Najib, so the move to house arrest could add to tension inside the governing coalition.
The fundraising drew criticism. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he disagreed with UMNO paying the fine but respected the legal process. Tony Pua, a former DAP lawmaker who helped bring the 1MDB scandal to public attention, called for an audit of the donations.
Background: Najib’s Convictions and Sentences
Najib has used up every appeal against the conviction he is now serving. His original sentence was 12 years in prison and a 210 million ringgit fine. On February 2, 2024, the Pardons Board cut the prison term to six years and the fine to 50 million ringgit. Without the fine paid, he would have served an extra year, pushing his release date to August 23, 2029.
In April 2024, Najib filed for judicial review. He argued that a royal addendum dated January 29, 2024 allowed him to serve his sentence under house arrest.
In a separate major 1MDB trial, Najib was convicted of money laundering and abuse of power and sentenced to 15 years in prison and a fine of about 11.4 billion ringgit. He has appealed. His lawyers asked the court to suspend that prison term and fine while the appeal is heard, pointing to his poor health and his inability to pay. On October 14, 2026, the High Court refused, finding that the special circumstances test had not been met and that the seriousness of the offenses was the more important public interest consideration. Najib has denied any wrongdoing.
What to Watch Next in the Najib Case
- His appeal against the 15-year sentence in the separate 1MDB case, which is still pending.
- August 23, 2028, the date the house arrest under the pardon ends.
FAQ
– Who paid Najib’s fine?
His party, UMNO, paid it with money from a public crowdfunding campaign launched on September 18. Najib’s lawyers had said his frozen bank accounts kept him from paying it himself.
– How much was the fine?
It was 50 million ringgit, about $12.3 million. That is the reduced amount set by the Pardons Board in February 2024, down from the original 210 million ringgit.