Ex-Malaysian PM Najib home from jail, starts house arrest

A prison vehicle enters former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak's house in Kuala Lumpur.  [Mohd Rasfan, AFP]

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived home on Tuesday to start serving the rest of his jail sentence for corruption under house arrest, an AFP reporter saw.

Najib, 73, was jailed for his role in one of the largest global plunders of a sovereign wealth fund, the now-defunct 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

He arrived at his residence in an upmarket Kuala Lumpur residential enclave in a silver car that was part of a convoy of vehicles.

The AFP journalist on the scene also heard on a police two-way radio that "Datuk Seri Najib has arrived" in Malay, as supporters waited outside.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court cleared the way for Najib's transfer earlier on Tuesday and issued a fresh order after the Attorney General disputed a previous directive.

Najib was granted a conditional pardon by Malaysia's king in September, allowing him to serve out the rest of his sentence at home provided that he paid a $12 million fine.

His political party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), paid the fine on Friday, but the Attorney-General blocked Najib's transfer on legal grounds.

"In accordance with the order of conditional pardon, the accused shall serve the remainder of the reduced sentence of six years' imprisonment under house arrest," Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Aslam Zainuddin said after meeting defence lawyers and public prosecutors.

The road leading to Najib's residence was cordoned off before his arrival, with yellow police tape and traffic cones blocking access.

Malaysia's king warned on Saturday that the attorney general risked denying a royal order by delaying Najib's transfer, adding that there was no ambiguity about the pardon he was granted.

Najib was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2020 in a first trial over vast sums of money siphoned from a former 1MDB subsidiary.

A pardons board later halved the term and reduced his fine. That sentence is due to be completed by August 2028.

Najib was also sentenced to another 15 years in a separate trial linked to the 1MDB scandal, and he has also appealed against that sentence.

Asked about Najib's reaction to his house arrest, defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said: "It's a final relief, a great sigh to him because he's been waiting for this."

However, he added that house arrest is "still an imprisonment because he can't leave the house unless he gets special permission or for a special reason".

Transport Minister Anthony Loke, leader of a political party that is part of the ruling coalition and who has opposed corruption and abuse of power, resigned in protest on Tuesday over the decision.