Royal Intervention: Najib's Sentence Altered Amid 1MDB Scandal

Najib Razak, Malaysia's ex-premier, received a reduction in his jail sentence following royal intervention. The appeals court acknowledged a royal order granting him home detention. The court's decision prompts a review of the case, originally stemming from the infamous 1MDB financial scandal.

In a significant turn of events for former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, the nation's appeals court granted him the opportunity to serve his sentence in home detention, following a controversial royal intervention. The court's decision comes as a rare victory for Najib, whose tenure was marred by the 1MDB scandal.

The three-judge appeals panel decided in a 2-1 vote to overturn an earlier court ruling, allowing the case to return to the High Court. This development follows a royal order, reportedly both 'valid and authentic,' that initially supported Najib's bid for home detention yet was not executed previously.

Najib's previous sentence was reduced from 12 to six years by the pardons board, led by former King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, though this decision sparked public outrage. The latest court ruling has now brought attention back to the unresolved issues surrounding his involvement in the 1MDB corruption cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)