Malaysia denies new laws on house arrest are geared towards jailed ex-PM Najib

By Ashley Tang and Rozanna Latiff

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's proposal to introduce laws allowing house arrest for some offences seeks to reduce recidivism rates and prison overcrowding, and is not aimed at getting former premier Najib Razak out of jail, a minister said on Friday.

Communications Minister and government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil was responding to media questions about speculation the law could allow house arrest for Najib, who was imprisoned for corruption linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, and help other politicians accused of graft to dodge jail.

"This has nothing to do with any individual," Fahmi said. "We need to adapt to the times as we see many other countries embracing restorative justice, and we too are headed that way."

Fahmi said the proposed law, included as part of the government's budget plans for 2025, was in line with other recent criminal justice reforms, such as the abolition of mandatory death sentences and a moratorium on executions.

A government project started last year found that re-offending rates were greatly reduced when inmates charged with minor crimes were allowed to serve time at home, he said.

Malaysian prisons, which have a national capacity of 74,000, suffer from overcrowding with 87,000 inmates, he added.

Ex-premier Najib this week apologised for his role in mishandling the 1MDB scandal during his tenure, though he maintained he had no knowledge of any illegal transfers from the state fund he helped found.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said he welcomed Najib's apology, according to state news agency Bernama.

Najib, also the son of a former prime minister, was found guilty in 2022 of corruption and money laundering for illegally receiving about $10 million from former 1MDB unit SRC International. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, a term later halved by a pardons board chaired by Malaysia's king.

Najib has been pushing to serve the remainder of his sentence at home and is using legal avenues to try to compel the government to confirm the existence of a royal order that he says came with the pardon and recommended house arrest for him.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by John Mair, Martin Petty)