Court of Appeal Sets Jan 7 Decision Date on Malaysian Bar’s Challenge to Najib’s Pardon

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 22 – The Court of Appeal has fixed Jan 7 next year to deliver its ruling on an appeal brought by the Malaysian Bar seeking leave to initiate judicial review proceedings against the Federal Territories Pardons Board’s decision to reduce former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s prison sentence and fine.

Lawyer Zainur Zakaria, representing the Malaysian Bar, confirmed the decision date when contacted.

A three-member Court of Appeal panel comprising Datuk Lim Chong Fong, Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli, and Datuk Leonard David Shim heard the appeal arguments on July 31 and subsequently reserved judgment.

The Malaysian Bar is appealing against a November 2024 High Court decision that dismissed its application for leave to challenge the Pardons Board’s ruling.

In its legal action filed in April 2024 against the Pardons Board of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya as well as Najib, the Bar sought a declaration that the board’s Jan 29, 2024 decision to halve Najib’s prison sentence from 12 years to six years—enabling his early release on Aug 23, 2028—was illegal, unconstitutional, and void.

The legal body is similarly seeking a declaration that the board’s decision to reduce Najib’s fine from RM210 million to RM50 million is also illegal, unconstitutional, and void.

Najib, 73, has been serving his sentence at Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, following his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd. He submitted a royal pardon petition on Sept 2, 2022, which resulted in the Pardons Board’s reduction of his prison term and fine.

On Sept 18, Najib was granted a conditional royal pardon allowing him to complete the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, subject to settling the RM50 million fine.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar previously confirmed that Najib has yet to pay the RM50 million fine required as a condition to serve his sentence under house arrest.

–NMT