Najib’s house arrest row: Malaysian sultan’s comment on royal pardons stirs debate

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Iman Muttaqin YusofFebruary 3, 2026 at 07:54 AM

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The Sultan of Pahang has urged Malaysians to view royal pardons calmly, amid controversy surrounding a potential addendum to Najib Razak's pardon that would allow him to serve his sentence at home. Najib, the former Prime Minister, is currently imprisoned for his involvement in the 1MDB scandal. His claim of the addendum has sparked debate, testing the rule of law and institutional credibility in Malaysia. The Sultan's statement emphasizes that clemency is a constitutional process, not a political favor. This comes after Najib's party, UMNO, appealed for compassion from the current King, further fueling the public discussion.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 40% Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah 40% Sultan Ibrahim 40% Kuala Lumpur High Court 50% Anwar Ibrahim 50% 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) 60% United Malays National Organisation (Umno) ×260% Sultan of Pahang 70% Najib Razak ×690% Malaysia ×390%

Keywords

royal pardon 100% najib razak 90% malaysia 80% rule of law 70% 1mdb scandal 60% constitutional process 60% sultan 50% elite privilege 50% clemency 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

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South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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royal pardon najib razak malaysia rule of law 1mdb scandal constitutional process sultan elite privilege clemency

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