urys out on whether Nayibs early release will boost Umno

Malay voters generally unhappy with the decision to reduce his jail term, say experts

- Azril Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR - Supporters of former Umno president and former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak have voiced their disappointment that he only had his jail sentence halved last week and did not get a full pardon and immediate release from jail.

This speaks volumes about the disgraced politician's continued influence within the party as well as its leaders' hopes that he can revive its fortunes after it suffered a stunning defeat in the 2018 polls and saw its support eroded further in the 2022 election.

"We respect the decision made by the king but Umno is disappointed with the outcome," said a statement by the party's supreme council.

But the jury's still out on whether Najib can claw back support from Umno's traditional base of Malay voters, who abandoned the party in droves when he was implicated in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Najib, 70, was jailed in August 2022 for corruption and money laundering over RM42 million (S$11.9 million) belonging to SRC International, a former subsidiary of troubled state fund IMDB.

Last week, he had his 12-year prison sentence halved to six years and his RM210 million fine reduced to RM50 million by the Pardons Board led by Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, Malaysia's former king. This means the politician is set to be released from jail by August 2028.

With Malaysian prison terms typically reduced by one-third for good behaviour, Najib could even be released as early as August 2026, just in time for the next general election slated for 2027.

While he will not be able to run for election until five years after his release, he could still campaign for Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition it heads.