Malaysia says it has no record of documents granting ex-PM Najib home detention

Malaysia’s law ministry said on Friday it has no record of any documents authorising house arrest for jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak, as the disgraced former leader pushes to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.

Najib, imprisoned for his role in a multibillion-dollar fraud at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, had his 12-year sentence halved last year by then-King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, who was chair of a special pardons board.

Najib and the ex-king’s palace say the former monarch also granted him house arrest in an “addendum order” that accompanied the pardon. Najib’s legal team says that document has been ignored by authorities.

Malaysia’s law ministry said in a statement that it had not received any official notification or instructions from Malaysia’s royal palace on the matter.

11:20

The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

“The law ministry, as secretariat to the pardons board, confirms that there are no additional documents or addendums in the official files or records under the ministry,” it said.