Malaysia's King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a conditional pardon that allows him to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest. This decision was made during a special meeting of the Pardons Board, just a week after the board postponed Najib’s latest request for clemency. According to the Legal Affairs Department under the current Prime Minister's office, the pardon requires Najib to pay a 50 million ringgit ($12 million) fine imposed by the court. If he meets this condition, he can serve his sentence at home until August 23, 2028. However, the specific terms of the pardon were not detailed, and it was noted that failing to meet the conditions could lead to the pardon being revoked. Najib, 73, has been in prison since August 2022 after Malaysia’s top court upheld his conviction in a graft case tied to the multi-billion-dollar looting of the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Originally sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 210 million ringgit ($51.5 million) in 2020, Najib was found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering involving 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) that was funneled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. In January 2024, the Pardons Board, chaired by the then-king, reduced his sentence to six years and cut his fine to 50 million ringgit. Najib has claimed that the previous king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, issued an addendum order allowing him to serve his sentence under house arrest. However, the High Court ruled that this alleged house arrest order was not enforceable, as it had not been brought up or discussed by the Pardons Board during its January 2024 meeting. The recent house-arrest order also raises questions about a separate graft conviction Najib faces. In December 2025, he was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering related to over $700 million that was transferred into his accounts from 1MDB. He was sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison and fined 11.4 billion ringgit ($2.8 billion), which will take effect after his current sentence ends. He is currently appealing that conviction. House arrest has been part of broader criminal-justice reforms in Malaysia. In 2024, the government introduced proposed legislation allowing home detention in certain circumstances, aiming to reduce prison overcrowding and recidivism. These reforms were not specifically tailored for Najib, however. Najib established the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators allege that at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries. These funds were reportedly used to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases, including hotels, a luxury yacht, art, and jewelry. The 1MDB scandal sparked national outrage and led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the party that had governed Malaysia since its independence from Britain in 1957. Despite his convictions, Najib still holds influence within his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is now part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's unity government that took power after the 2022 elections.