KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is reportedly set to pay his RM50 million fine today, satisfying the core condition required to transfer him from Kajang Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Citing a source, the New Straits Times reported that a representative of the 73-year-old former premier is scheduled to deliver the payment at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex this morning.
Settling the financial penalty is the mandatory condition attached to the conditional pardon granted by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, on Sept 18 during the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board at Istana Negara.
The royal decree permits Najib to serve the remainder of his reduced custodial term at home until Aug 23, 2028.
On Sunday, Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said that the Attorney General’s Chambers had yet to receive proof of payment. Dusuki noted that while the pardon carried no fixed deadline for settlement, Najib was legally required to remain incarcerated in prison for as long as the fine stayed outstanding.
The fine forms part of Najib's conviction over the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd. The Kuala Lumpur High Court originally sentenced him in July 2020 to 12 years’ imprisonment and a RM210 million fine, penalties that were upheld by the Federal Court in August 2022.
The Pardons Board subsequently halved his prison term to six years and reduced the fine to RM50 million during its 61st meeting on Jan 29, 2024.
Notwithstanding the house arrest, Najib still faces separate legal jeopardy from ongoing criminal and civil proceedings.
On Dec 26 last year, the High Court sentenced him to 15 years in prison and imposed an RM11.4 billion fine after convicting him of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a verdict he appealed on Dec 29.
In a civil suit, the High Court on March 31 ordered Najib to repay US$1.3 billion to SRC International for breach of fiduciary duties. Enforcement of the order is stayed pending his appeal.
He also faces two other suits, filed by SRC International and Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd in 2021, as well as a US$5.64 billion civil suit by 1MDB and four of its subsidiaries. All remain before the courts.
