KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has withdrawn his legal challenge to be placed under house arrest linked to his RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd conviction.
Based on court papers sighted by The Star, Najib, through Messrs Shafee & Co, filed a Notice of Discontinuance at the Court of Appeal dated April 3.
Najib, who is currently serving his jail sentence at Kajang Prison, initially wanted to appeal a High Court decision that dismissed his judicial review application, which claimed a royal addendum allowing him to serve his prison sentence under house arrest.
In the notice of discontinuance, Najib merely stated the following:
“Please take note that the appellant named above wishes to terminate and withdraw this appeal against the respondents without liberty to file afresh and with no order as to costs.”
The document did not state any reason for the withdrawal.
The former prime minister is currently serving the sentence imposed by the High Court after being found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering.
The case was in relation to the RM42mil syphoned from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary.
He began serving his 12-year jail term on Aug 23, 2022.
In the high-profile SRC case, Najib failed to overturn his conviction and sentence as he exhausted his appeals, prompting him to apply for a pardon.
On Feb 2, 2024, the Federal Territories Pardons Board announced a reduction in Najib’s 12-year jail sentence and RM210mil fine to six years and a RM50mil fine.
According to the board’s statement, Najib will be released on Aug 23, 2028.
“However, if the fine is not paid, a year will be added to the jail term, and the release date will then be on Aug 23, 2029,” the board said.
Two months later, on April 1, 2024, Najib filed an application for leave for judicial review, claiming that there was a royal addendum order that would have allowed him to serve his remaining prison time under house arrest.
He named the Home Minister, the Commissioner-General of Prisons, the Attorney General, the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), the director-general of legal affairs at the Prime Minister’s Department and the government as the respondents.
In the application, Najib sought an order demanding the respondents execute the royal order and move him from prison to his residence in Kuala Lumpur to serve his remaining sentence under house arrest.
On Dec 22, 2025, the High Court dismissed Najib’s judicial review on the grounds that the addendum order did not comply with Article 42 of the Federal Constitution and consequently became invalid.
