Malaysian Supreme Court Upholds Najib Razak House Arrest Case for High Court Review

Malaysia's Federal Court has unanimously ruled that the validity of a 'royal addendum' allowing former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest must be fully examined at the High Court. Najib, currently serving a six-year sentence related to the SRC International case, claims the addendum was issued by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and could reduce his time in prison. The Court rejected the Attorney General's attempt to block Najib's access to the document, acknowledging its existence but not its authenticity, thereby sending the case back to the High Court for a full hearing on the merits. Najib's legal team argues the Attorney General failed to disclose the document earlier, while the government counters that Najib did not provide sufficient proof initially. The controversy highlights complex issues regarding royal pardons and judicial processes in Malaysia, with Najib's son producing a letter from the Pahang Royal Household supporting the addendum's existence. The High Court will now decide whether the addendum can legally entitle Najib to home detention, as his appeal continues amid ongoing scrutiny over the 1MDB scandal.