6th January 2025 – (Kuala Lumpur) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has successfully appealed for his request for house arrest to be heard in the High Court, following a split decision by the Court of Appeal on Monday, January 6.
The High Court previously dismissed Najib’s legal attempt in July to compel the government to produce an addendum order allegedly issued by former King Al-Sultan Abdullah, which would allow him to serve the remainder of his reduced six-year sentence at home.
In a 2-1 split ruling, the three-member bench ordered the Kuala Lumpur High Court to consider the merits of Najib’s case. Justices Azhahari Kamal Ramli and Mohd Firuz Jaffril supported the majority ruling, while presiding judge Azizah Nawawi dissented.
The announcement was met with significant public support, as hundreds, including members of Najib’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), gathered outside the court. Notable figures present included Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainuddin, and Terengganu chief minister Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
In December, Najib’s legal team sought to introduce new evidence regarding his request for house arrest. His son, Nizar Najib, filed an affidavit claiming that the then-Agong had informed him about the existence of a royal addendum permitting his father to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.
On the morning of the hearing, Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, stated that the addendum had only come to light after the High Court’s previous dismissal. He explained that approval to disclose the addendum was granted on December 2, coinciding with the filing of the affidavit.
