KUALA LUMPUR: After years of waiting, several supporters of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gathered outside his residence at Langgak Duta here, hoping to witness his return home.
One of them, Radiah Rashid, 68, from Sungai Buloh, said she came to show her support and had been waiting for the moment for years.
Speaking to reporters outside the residence on Friday (Sept 18), she said she was overwhelmed with emotion and hoped Najib would be allowed to return home.
“I am extremely emotional. We have been waiting for this for a long time.
“It is not just me. All the supporters and Malaysians who love Datuk Seri (Najib) have been waiting for this moment on this blessed Friday,” she said.
Radiah said she expected more supporters to arrive after Friday prayers to await Najib’s return.
“Yes, definitely. Many will arrive after Friday prayers. InsyaAllah, we will see what happens.
“It is a moment we have been waiting for a long time. Four years, right? We continued to pray and make supplications. Finally, Allah has answered our prayers on this blessed Friday,” she said.
She said she remained hopeful that Najib would return home on Friday.
“Definitely, definitely,” she said.
Earlier on Friday, Najib was granted a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence until August 23, 2028, under house arrest, provided he pays a reduced fine of RM50mil.
The decision was made during the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board on Friday (Sept 18), which was chaired by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
In an official statement released Friday, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department confirmed that the conditional pardon remains strictly subject to Najib fulfilling all specified conditions — including payment of the RM50mil fine.
"He must comply with all set conditions. If he fails to comply with any of these terms, the conditional pardon will be automatically revoked, and he must immediately serve the remainder of his sentence in prison," the statement read.
Najib, 73, began serving his prison sentence in August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and 12-year jail term, as well as a RM210mil fine, in the SRC International case.
In 2024, the Pardons Board, then chaired by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, reduced his prison term to six years and the fine to RM50mil.
The former Umno president was also sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined RM11.4bil in 2025 after being convicted on four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering in a separate 1MDB case.
The former Pekan MP is appealing against the conviction and sentence.
