Malaysian attorney general seeks High Court review of Najib house arrest order, Bernama reports

Malaysia's attorney general has filed ​an application to the High ​Court to review an order allowing ‌former ​prime minister Najib Razak to serve the rest of his prison sentence under house arrest, state news agency Bernama ‌reported on Tuesday. "The (Attorney-General's Chambers) filed an application at the High Court today to review the discharge order issued on November 6 and seek a fresh order in line ‌with the conditional pardon granted by the King on September 18," Attorney-General Mohd Dusuki ‌Mokhtar was quoted as saying.

Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was jailed in relation to a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. He was granted approval in a September ⁠royal ​pardon to serve ⁠the remaining two years of his sentence at home. Last Friday, Najib's political party paid the fine ⁠as part of the terms of the royal pardon, but in a last-minute intervention, the Attorney-General's ​Chambers postponedhis transfer to house arrest after questions had arisen over the legal interpretation ⁠of the royal pardon and the court order allowing Najib to leave jail.

Najib's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee ⁠Abdullah, ​is expected to appear before the High Court at 2.30pm on Tuesday over the disputed discharge order, according to local media. Checks by Reuters found that ⁠the matter is being raised before judge Aslam Zainuddin at Criminal High Court 5.

King Sultan ⁠Ibrahim has ⁠also warned that any attempt to challenge his order to let Najib leave jail and move to house arrest could amount ‌to defiance ‌against his decree.