KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Malaysia’s attorney general has filed an application to the High Court to review an order allowing former prime minister Najib Razak to serve the rest of his prison sentence under house arrest, state news agency Bernama reported on Tuesday.
“The (Attorney-General’s Chambers) filed an application at the High Court today to review the discharge order issued on November 6 and seek a fresh order in line with the conditional pardon granted by the King on September 18,” Attorney-General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar was quoted as saying.
Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was jailed in relation to a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. He was granted approval in a September royal pardon to serve the remaining two years of his sentence at home.
Last Friday, Najib’s political party paid the fine as part of the terms of the royal pardon, but in a last-minute intervention, the Attorney-General’s Chambers postponed his transfer to house arrest after questions had arisen over the legal interpretation of the royal pardon and the court order allowing Najib to leave jail.
Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, is expected to appear before the High Court at 2.30pm on Tuesday over the disputed discharge order, according to local media.
Checks by Reuters found that the matter is being raised before judge Aslam Zainuddin at Criminal High Court 5.
King Sultan Ibrahim has also warned that any attempt to challenge his order to let Najib leave jail and move to house arrest could amount to defiance against his decree.
(Reporting by Ashley Tang; Editing by David Stanway)
