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THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong has warned that challenging the implementation of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest order amounts to defying the decree of the ruler, insisting that the conditional pardon granted to the former prime minister was unambiguous.
Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s statement comes after the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) suspended the implementation of the house arrest arrangement pending clarification of legal questions surrounding the pardon and the payment of Najib’s RM50 million fine.
Sultan Ibrahim said the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya had considered Najib’s petition on September 18, 2026, under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Territories Minister and the Attorney-General, who provided advice to the King.
Following the meeting, Sultan Ibrahim said he ordered Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, subject to payment of the RM50 million fine.
He stressed that the order was explicit, left no room for ambiguity and was unrelated to any other cases involving Najib.
“There should be no confusion over its interpretation and no prolonged uncertainty over the implementation of a decision that has already received royal assent,” the statement said.
The King also said the power to grant pardons was a royal prerogative under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution and must be respected in keeping with the country’s constitutional monarchy and the rule of law.
With all conditions attached to the pardon having been fulfilled, Sultan Ibrahim said any arguments disputing the order were tantamount to going against his decree.
Yesterday, the AGC said the implementation of house arrest for Najib should be temporarily suspended until further review and clarification regarding the interpretation of the conditional pardon order—as well as the implications of an ‘order of discharge’ are resolved.
It added that, during this period, the former prime minister’s detention status must be maintained at his current place of confinement, subject to the authority and directives of the relevant authorities.
The AGC explained that this deferment follows the emergence of legal questions concerning the interpretation of the order dated September 18, 2026, specifically regarding the effect of the payment of a RM50 million fine on the remainder of Najib’s prison sentence in the SRC International case. – November 7, 2026
