Malaysia’s f ormer Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to leave prison for house arrest after his political party on Friday paid a 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) fine required under the terms of his royal pardon.
Najib, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2022, when Malaysia’s top court upheld his conviction in a case linked to the multi-billion dollar looting of the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
Malaysia’s king in September granted Najib a rare royal clemency, allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison term for graft under house arrest.
Asyraf Wajid Dusuki, secretary-general of the United Malays National Organization, said in a statement that the party had collected sufficient funds through its donation drive for Najib. He said the party had completed payment of the fine at the High Court earlier Friday.
The payment fulfils a key condition attached to the royal pardon.
The timing of his transfer from prison to house arrest was not immediately clear. Police were stationed at his house in Kuala Lumpur early Friday and the road leading to his home was blocked.
