A Malaysian court has cleared the way for former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, a decision that reignites debate over accountability for the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. Najib, 73, is currently serving a six-year term for abuse of power and money laundering linked to the looting of the now-defunct sovereign wealth fund. The ruling follows a lengthy legal battle over a royal decree purportedly allowing him to complete his sentence at home, an arrangement his legal team argues was sanctioned by the former king.
The court’s decision does not overturn Najib’s conviction but opens the possibility of his transfer from prison to house arrest, a move critics say could undermine public confidence in Malaysia’s justice system. The 1MDB affair saw billions siphoned from state coffers and triggered investigations across several countries, including the United States and Switzerland. Government officials have yet to confirm a timeline for any transfer, while opposition figures and anti-corruption advocates are calling for full transparency. Najib, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, remains a polarizing figure in Malaysian politics, and the outcome is likely to shape perceptions of institutional independence ahead of future elections.
Independent reporting synthesized from primary wires and global correspondents.