Najib Razak's request to suspend 15-year sentence denied

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has rejected a request from former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to suspend his 15-year prison sentence. The sentence is linked to his conviction for abuse of power and money laundering in a case involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib’s legal team argued for a stay of execution based on his declining health and the substantial scale of the fines imposed, which total approximately RM11.4 billion. However, Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nordin dismissed the application, stating that the defendant failed to establish special circumstances to justify a stay.

The judge emphasized that the gravity of the offense is a significant public interest consideration. The court also noted that Najib could no longer be considered a first-time offender due to his previous conviction in the SRC International case. Najib’s lawyers have indicated they intend to file a similar application for a stay at the Court of Appeal.