From Malay Mail · Julia Chan · · 1m
Home Ministry Waits for Pardons Board Letter
Home Ministry awaits Pardons Board letter for Najib house arrest.
In brief
Home Ministry awaits Pardons Board letter for Najib house arrest. Malaysian Home Ministry has not received Pardons Board letter to determine Najib Razak's house arrest premises or next steps. Originally reported by Malay Mail.
Home Ministry Status
Home Ministry awaits Pardons Board letter for Najib house arrest decision.
“Home Ministry is still waiting for the official written notification of the Pardons Board’s reported decision to place former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak under house arrest before deciding on its next course of action”
Letter Status
Home Ministry and Prisons Department have not received Pardons Board letter from Legal Affairs Division.
“Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the ministry and Prisons Department had yet to receive the letter from the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, which serves as the secretariat to the Pardons Board”
Next Steps Clarification
Home Ministry needs Pardons Board letter to determine house arrest premises and legal actions.
“Once we receive the notification, only then will we be clear about what further action we need to take, and the steps towards implementing the decision in accordance with the existing provisions of the law”
Current Sentence Status
Najib serves reduced six-year sentence with RM50 million fine.
“Saifuddin said Najib was currently still serving his prison sentence, adding that house arrest would mean he was no longer held in prison but instead serve his sentence at another premises”
Release Date Details
Najib release date set for August 23, 2028 if fine paid, August 23, 2029 if not.
“Saifuddin said the ministry had subsequently informed Najib that if he paid the reduced RM50 million fine, his release date would be August 23, 2028, while failure to pay would result in a release date of August 23, 2029”
House Arrest Legal Gap
Malaysia lacks specific law for house arrest mechanism.
“Saifuddin said Malaysia currently had no specific law governing the mechanism for house arrest”
Proposed House Arrest Act
Home Ministry seeks to introduce House Arrest Act to address prison overcrowding.
“Saifuddin said he had previously obtained Cabinet agreement in principle to begin the process of introducing a House Arrest Act, but the proposal was initially intended to address prison overcrowding, particularly involving remand prisoners”
Prison Capacity Data
Malaysia has 41 prisons housing 93,000 inmates against 75,000 capacity.
“Saifuddin said Malaysia currently had 41 prisons housing about 93,000 inmates, against a total capacity of around 75,000”
The bottom line
Malaysian Home Ministry has not received Pardons Board letter to determine Najib Razak's house arrest premises or next steps.
