Najib's transfer to house arrest delayed pending review after Umno pays pardon fine

Summary

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak moved closer to house arrest after his party, Umno, paid the 50 million ringgit (US$12.3 million) fine required under the terms of his royal pardon, which King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted in September. The clemency would let him serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest until August 2028. Reports differ on his status: the South China Morning Post says he had not been released despite the payment, Al Jazeera reports that a court approved his transfer, and Deutsche Welle and Bloomberg report that the attorney general said the transfer was on hold or postponed pending further review. Al Jazeera says the fine was raised via crowdfunding. Bloomberg reports that the king said there was no ambiguity over the pardon and warned that challenging the decree amounts to defying his authority. The Hindu reports that Najib, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2022, when Malaysia's top court upheld his conviction in a corruption case linked to the 1MDB state investment fund.

Timeline

1. South China Morning Post

   6 Nov 2026, 05:25 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Umno said on Friday it had paid the 50 million ringgit (US$12.3 million) fine needed to move Najib to house arrest, and that despite the payment he has not been released.

2. The Hindu

   6 Nov 2026, 06:32 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Najib, 73, will serve his prison time at home after the $12.3 million pardon payment, having been imprisoned since August 2022 over the 1MDB looting case.

3. Deutsche Welle

   6 Nov 2026, 08:36 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that jailed former prime minister Najib hopes to serve his prison term under house arrest after his party paid the fine, and that the attorney general later said the transfer was on hold temporarily.

4. The Japan Times

   6 Nov 2026, 08:49 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Najib paid the fine, meeting the condition for house arrest, after King Sultan Ibrahim granted him a conditional pardon in September.

5. Al Jazeera

   6 Nov 2026, 09:01 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that a court approved Najib's transfer to house arrest after his party paid the $12 million fine, which was raised via crowdfunding.

6. Bloomberg

   7 Nov 2026, 03:36 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Najib's transfer from prison to house arrest has been postponed pending further review of conditions around the royal pardon, according to the attorney general's office.