KUALA LUMPUR, November 7, 2026 – Malaysia's National Palace has strongly reaffirmed that the decree issued by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, concerning a conditional royal pardon for former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is clear, explicit and leaves no room for ambiguity.
The statement follows developments on November 6, when the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) requested a temporary postponement of the implementation of Najib's house arrest arrangement pending further clarification of its legal implications.
Royal Pardons Board Reviewed Najib's Petition
According to the National Palace, the Federal Territories Pardons Board for Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya considered Najib's petition on September 18, 2026, under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Territories Minister and the Attorney General, who provided the necessary advice to the King.
Following the meeting, Sultan Ibrahim decreed that Najib would serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, subject to the condition that he pay a fine of RM50 million.
The Palace stressed that the conditional pardon order was clear and did not relate to any other cases involving the former prime minister.
RM50 Million Fine Paid
On November 6, 2026, Najib reportedly completed payment of the RM50 million fine at the Kuala Lumpur High Court's Criminal Registry.
The payment formed part of the conditions attached to the conditional royal pardon granted on September 18.
The development attracted considerable public attention as the payment was a key requirement specified in the conditional pardon arrangement.
AGC Requests Temporary Deferral
However, the Attorney General's Chambers requested on November 6 that the implementation of Najib's house arrest arrangement be temporarily deferred pending further examination and clarification of the relevant legal issues.
The AGC raised questions concerning the interpretation of the Conditional Pardon Order and the legal implications of a related Order of Discharge dated November 6, 2026.
One of the issues concerns whether the payment of RM50 million fulfils only the financial component of the pardon while Najib remains required to serve the remainder of his SRC International prison sentence until August 23, 2028.
Another question concerns whether the payment affects the status of the entire sentence imposed in the SRC International case.
The matter also has implications for Najib's separate prison sentence in the main 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.
During the temporary deferral, Najib remains at his existing place of detention while the legal matters are being examined.
The AGC said the request was intended to ensure that the relevant orders were implemented in accordance with the law.
Palace Reaffirms Royal Prerogative
In its November 7 statement, the National Palace emphasised that the power of pardon is a royal prerogative provided for under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
The Palace stated that the exercise of this authority must be respected in accordance with Malaysia's constitutional monarchy and the rule of law.
It also stressed that, since all conditions stipulated in the conditional pardon order had been fulfilled, any argument challenging the order could amount to an attempt to disregard the King's decree.
The statement further said that there should be no prolonged uncertainty or confusion over the implementation of a decision that had already received royal approval.
Najib's House Arrest Status Remains Uncertain
The latest developments have placed Najib's conditional royal pardon at the centre of a significant legal and constitutional discussion involving royal prerogative, government administration and the implementation of court orders.
Although the RM50 million fine has reportedly been paid and the Palace has reaffirmed that the pardon conditions have been fulfilled, the AGC's request for further legal clarification has left the implementation of the house arrest arrangement temporarily on hold.
As of November 7, 2026, Najib remains at his existing place of detention while the relevant legal questions are being addressed.
Further developments are expected as the authorities work to clarify the legal position surrounding the conditional pardon and its implementation.