PETALING JAYA: Today marks exactly three years – or 1,096 days – since former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak began serving his prison sentence at the Kajang Prison.
The sixth prime minister, now aged 72, was convicted of misappropriating RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC) and sentenced by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210 million.
The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal in December 2021 and later affirmed by the Federal Court in Putrajaya on Aug 23, 2022.
A report by Sinar Harian today recapped key developments in his journey, including his Sept 2, 2022, petition for royal pardon.
This led to the Pardons Board reducing his sentence and fine to six years and RM50 million.
As a result, he is expected to be released early on Aug 23, 2028 — exactly three years from today.
The date of Aug 23, 2022, is widely regarded as a historic moment in Malaysia’s political landscape, as Najib became the first former head of government to be imprisoned.
Najib, who also served as the Member of Parliament for Pekan, still faces two other high-profile cases — one involving the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and another concerning criminal breach of trust involving RM6.6 billion linked to payments to International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
In a Sinar Harian report today, it noted that Najib was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 20 this year, in a money laundering case involving RM27 million of SRC funds.
The paper also highlighted that on Jan 29, 2024, the country was shaken by revelations of an addendum decree, allegedly issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Najib claimed the decree allowed him to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest.
Following this, Najib filed for a mandamus order to compel seven parties — including the Home Minister, Commissioner General of Prisons, Attorney-General, and the Pardons Board — to respond and verify the existence of the decree.
However, on July 3, 2024, High Court Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh rejected Najib’s application for leave to begin judicial review proceedings regarding the decree’s existence.
After nearly a year of legal arguments and public discourse, on Jan 6, this year, Najib’s legal team informed the Court of Appeal that the adendum had been concealed from public knowledge.
His lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, insisted the royal order did exist and had been personally signed by the former King.
He further claimed that Najib’s eldest son, Datuk Mohamad Nizar, confirmed receiving the decree from the Pahang Palace. Shafee also presented a letter from the Pahang Royal Council addressed to Nizar, a member of the Pahang State Executive Council.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
