Malaysia’s Najib drops appeal to serve 1MDB-linked prison sentence under house arrest

Najib, 72, is serving a six-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison after his original 12-year term for the misappropriation of 42 million ringgit (US$10.6 million) from SRC International was halved by the Pardons Board in 2024.

The house-arrest dispute centred on Najib’s claim that an “addendum order” issued alongside his sentence reduction had allowed him to serve the rest of his jail term at home – an assertion that has fuelled debate in Malaysia over royal pardons, executive accountability and whether the former leader was receiving preferential treatment.

According to court documents, lawyers from Shafee & Co informed the Court of Appeal on April 3 that Najib had filed a notice of discontinuance for the appeal.

11:20

The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

The notice, dated April 2, said Najib had decided not to pursue his appeal for house arrest, giving no reason for the withdrawal.