Malaysia’s Najib drops appeal to serve 1MDB-linked prison sentence under house arrest
The withdrawal ends the former prime minister’s attempt to serve out his SRC sentence at home after his jail term was halved in 2024
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.
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The notice, dated April 2, said Najib had decided not to pursue his appeal for house arrest, giving no reason for the withdrawal.