High Court Sets Sept 19 to Hear Najib’s Bid on Royal House Arrest Addendum

The High Court has fixed Sept 19 to hear former prime minister Najib Razak’s application to present new evidence in his judicial review seeking enforcement of a royal addendum allegedly allowing him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest. The evidence involves a Jan 4 letter from the Sultan of Pahang’s royal household to Najib’s son, Nizar, purportedly confirming the addendum. Justice Loke Yee Ching set the date during case management this morning.

The Federal Court has dismissed the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (AGC) final appeal to block former prime minister Najib Razak’s judicial review over a royal addendum that allegedly allows him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

House Arrest

A three-member bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim ruled that the case should proceed at the High Court, noting that the AGC itself conceded the existence of the addendum. However, Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof, delivering the unanimous decision, clarified that this concession does not guarantee the order’s admissibility as evidence.

“The alleged order must still meet the legal rules and criteria for admission as new evidence, and its validity will only be determined at the substantive hearing,” she said.

The Federal Court stressed that it was not deciding whether the addendum is part of the pardons order. Instead, it granted Najib leave to adduce the new evidence and pursue his judicial review before the High Court.

Najib, convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, is serving a reduced six-year sentence at Kajang Prison.

Business News