House arrest for Najib in 2025? Gambit will test Anwar's political skills

Political calculations may make further reprieve for the jailed former leader likely.

- Bhavan Jaipragas

For a man behind bars, former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has had a good 2024.

In January, after serving 17 months of a 12-year sentence for his first conviction tied to the 1MDB financial scandal, Najib received a partial pardon from the outgoing king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. At the time, the halving of his jail term seemed like the year's high point for the jailed former leader.

As 2024 closes, speculation is mounting that Najib could serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest - with release for good behaviour as early as 2026 - or even secure a full pardon, potentially walking free next year.

Such an outcome would have been unthinkable when he entered prison in 2022, having exhausted appeals and faced a raft of trials over one of the world's largest financial scandals.

This shift in fortunes reflects a significant easing of Najib's legal burdens over the year. Of the five trials he initially faced, one ended with his 12-year sentence, two have effectively been shelved - one dismissed outright in 2023 and the other ending in November with a discharge not amounting to an acquittal. That leaves just two: one ongoing and the other set for April 2025.

Adding to this evolving narrative, Najib issued a rare apology in October for his role in the scandal - a move widely seen as a calculated effort to soften public perception and bolster his clemency bid. His family has also stepped up their efforts, portraying him as frail and remorseful, and highlighting his predicament as a pivotal issue for Umno, the party he once led.

Even from Kajang Prison, Najib remains a key figure in Malaysian politics. On Jan 6, the Court of Appeal will hear his bid to overturn a ruling denying him access to an "addendum order" he claims was signed by Sultan Abdullah. Najib insists this order could secure him house arrest.