Najib's house arrest won't undermine anti-corruption efforts, says Anwar

PUTRAJAYA — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has moved to assure the public that the conditional pardon allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to serve his sentence under house arrest will not weaken the government's anti-corruption agenda.

Anwar's statement addresses mounting scrutiny following the royal pardon, which permits Najib to remain under house confinement rather than serving his full sentence in prison. The move has drawn questions from observers concerned about the administration's resolve in pursuing high-profile corruption cases.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the government remains steadfast in its fight against graft and misuse of public funds, despite the developments surrounding Najib's case. He underscored that the conditional pardon does not represent a retreat from the administration's broader anti-corruption initiatives.

Najib was convicted in 2023 of abuse of power and money laundering related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. The conditional pardon, granted recently, allows him to serve his prison term at his residence under specified conditions.

The government has indicated it will continue pursuing other corruption cases and implementing reforms to strengthen institutional accountability across the public and private sectors.