Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not yet indicated whether he intends to apply for parole, an option that could allow him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence outside of jail.
Najib’s lead defence lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, confirmed that the possibility of applying for parole has been discussed with his client, but no instructions have been given.
“He has discussed it but has not given instructions,” Shafee told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur court complex. “I need full instructions from him, so I cannot disclose on my own what he wants.”
Shafee was asked whether Najib would apply for parole, since he has served more than half of his six-year sentence. He replied, “There are other requirements and we are not disclosing it at this moment.”
The comments came after the High Court rejected Najib’s bid for house arrest. The court ruled that the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s add-on order for house arrest was invalid, as it was not issued during the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting and did not comply with the Federal Constitution.
Shafee said Najib will appeal the High Court’s decision. He also suggested that other options, including filing another pardon request or applying for parole, could be considered.
Under Section 46E of the Prison Act, a prisoner is eligible for parole if they have served at least half of their sentence (excluding any one-third remission for good behaviour) and completed a rehabilitation programme approved by the Commissioner General of Prisons.
Najib has been serving his six-year sentence since August 2022, meaning he is now slightly more than halfway through his jail term.
