King Decrees Najib House Arrest Contingent on Fine Payment
Decision sparks widespread outrage and Umno fundraiser as Najib's frozen accounts complicate release.
Quick Look
King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar decreed former PM Najib can serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest if he pays a 50 million ringgit fine, sparking public outrage and a party fundraiser amid frozen bank accounts.
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Why It Matters
King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar decreed that Najib serve the remainder of his sentence at home if he pays a 50 million ringgit fine.
King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar last Friday decreed that Najib would be allowed to serve out the remainder of his sentence at home, on condition that he pay his 50 million ringgit (US$10.3 million) fine.
The decision triggered widespread outrage among Malaysians over the purported preferential treatment for the corruption-tainted former prime minister and a fundraiser launched by his former ruling Umno party to settle the fine.
Najib’s release into house arrest, however, was far from certain as he currently had no means to raise the funds on his own after the authorities froze access to all of his bank accounts, his lawyers said outside the Kuala Lumpur court complex on Friday.
Open Questions
- Will Najib successfully raise the 50 million ringgit fine?
- How will authorities handle the frozen bank accounts?
