Full Breakdown
Najib Razak Seeks Stay of 15-Year 1MDB Sentence Amid Inability to Pay Fine
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Current Request for Stay
Former prime minister Najib Razak has asked the Kuala Lumpur High Court to stay the execution of his 15-year prison term for the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case. His lead defence counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told reporters on September 25 that Najib cannot meet the RM 50 million (US$10.3 million) fine required for a conditional house-arrest, because all of his bank accounts remain frozen. The court has set October 14 for a hearing on the stay application, with written submissions due by October 13.
Legal Background
Najib was convicted on December 25, 2025 of 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering, receiving a 12-year term for misappropriating RM 42 million from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary. A separate 15-year sentence for the broader 1MDB scandal was ordered to run consecutively after the SRC term. The king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, issued a conditional pardon allowing Najib to serve the remainder of the 1MDB sentence at home, provided the fine is paid.
Official Positions & Responses
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam indicated the prosecution will file an affidavit opposing the stay. Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nordin instructed parties to submit written arguments by October 13 and scheduled the hearing for October 14. Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, appeared in court on the hearing day.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My answer until today is that Datuk Seri Najib himself cannot afford it. He himself cannot pay.” — Muhammad Shafee
- “So we ask for a stay so that the stay has an effect,” — Muhammad Shafee
Upcoming Hearing
The High Court will decide on October 14 whether to grant the stay. If the stay is approved and the RM 50 million fine is paid, Najib could be released into house arrest on the same day; the court may also consider whether his freedom takes effect immediately.