KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian pardons board on Friday confirmed that it had halved the jail sentence of former prime minister Najib Razak, who was convicted of graft and money laundering related to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal.
Najib, who is serving a 12-year term, will be released in August 2028 and the fines imposed on him reduced to 50 million ringgit ($10.6 million) from 210 million ringgit, the board’s secretariat said in a statement that confirmed earlier reports.
The board, chaired by Malaysia’s king, did not give a reason for halving the sentence.
Najib was convicted for graft linked to the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), from which US and Malaysian investigators estimate $4.5 billion was stolen and more than $1 billion channeled to accounts linked to the former premier.
He applied for a royal pardon in August 2022 shortly after his conviction and his sentence was upheld by Malaysia’s highest court, making him the first premier in the country’s history to be jailed.
Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying he was misled by fugitive financier Jho Low and other 1MDB officials over the source of the funds and that he believed they were donations from the Saudi royal family. Jho Low remains at large and is believed to be in China.
He remains on trial in several other cases linked to corruption at 1MDB.
The pardons board said that if Najib failed to pay the fine given, an additional year would be imposed on his jail term.
Malaysia’s king plays a largely ceremonial role but can pardon convicted people among discretionary powers granted by the federal constitution.
The pardons board, which advises the king, includes the attorney-general and government officials.