Najib faces $12m hurdle for house arrest

Summary Malaysia's jailed former prime minister Najib Razak is working to meet the conditions required for him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, his lawyers said on Sunday. Malaysia's King agreed on Friday to allow Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. Najib's lawyers said the former premier had been deeply moved by the public support he received following the decision concerning his house arrest. AI Generated Summary Malaysia's jailed former prime minister Najib Razak is working to meet the conditions required for him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, his lawyers said on Sunday. One of the key conditions is the payment of a 50 million ringgit ($12 million) fine. However, Najib's legal team said fulfilling the requirement could be difficult because a substantial portion of his assets, bank accounts and properties remain frozen or subject to government enforcement proceedings. Najib served as Malaysia's prime minister from 2009 to 2018. He was convicted in a corruption case linked to the multibillion-dollar scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state investment fund established during his time in office. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Malaysia's King agreed on Friday to allow Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. The decision followed a second royal pardon related to his conviction in the financial scandal. However, the country's Prisons Department said it was awaiting formal written confirmation of the royal decision before taking further steps. The Home Affairs Ministry is also involved in the process. Under Malaysian law, the home affairs minister can officially designate premises as a prison. This provision could allow Najib's residence to be designated as the location where he serves his remaining sentence. Najib's lawyers said the former premier had been deeply moved by the public support he received following the decision concerning his house arrest. The issue of the fine has also prompted efforts within Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party to raise funds. UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a collection campaign would be launched among party members and supporters to assist Najib with the payment. Local media reported that the campaign had collected nearly 1 million ringgit by Saturday afternoon. The development comes as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's coalition government faces internal disagreements over its approach to corruption-related issues