Malaysia's disgraced former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has returned home to begin serving the remainder of his jail sentence for corruption under house arrest. The 73-year-old politician was convicted in a billion-dollar scandal involving the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund and made headlines around the world when it came to light over a decade ago. He had been imprisoned for four years, following his conviction over the embezzlement of billions from the state-owned fund. The scandal implicated numerous prominent figures in Malaysia, Goldman Sachs, and Hollywood, with investigators estimating that $4.5 billion was siphoned into private pockets, including Najib's own. Prosecutors allege that over $1 billion ended up in accounts linked to the former PM.
Najib's mansion in Kuala Lumpur's exclusive neighborhood was declared a federal prison ahead of his release on Tuesday. Critics argue that his release from jail undermines efforts to fight corruption and question its legal basis, as Malaysian law does not provide for house arrest. However, the King of Malaysia granted him a conditional pardon in September to serve the remaining two years of his sentence at home. The transfer to his mansion was initially scheduled for Friday but was delayed after the attorney general sought clarification on the royal decree. On Tuesday, the high court ruled that the house arrest was effective immediately.
Najib's party paid a $12 million fine as part of the terms of the royal pardon, allowing him to serve the rest of his term at home. He was sentenced in 2020 for abuse of power, money laundering, and breach of trust over 42 million ringgit ($10 million; £7.7 million) transferred from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, into his private accounts. Najib is currently appealing against a 15-year prison sentence handed down in December 2025 for misappropriating nearly $569 million from the nation's sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. He is expected to start serving that sentence after his house arrest ends, which is due in August 2028.