Najib fails to stay 15-year jail term and RM11.38 billion fine in 1MDB case

The High Court on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, dismissed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's application to stay his 15-year prison sentence and a fine of more than RM11.38 billion in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) corruption case, Malay Mail and Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported.

The ruling means a fresh warrant of committal will be issued against Najib once he completes his reduced sentence in the SRC International case. His 15-year 1MDB jail term is scheduled to start in August 2028, according to Malay Mail.

What the judge said

Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin held that the gravity of the offences and the public interest outweighed the applicant's private grievances, Malay Mail reported. She also rejected the defence's argument that Najib's health was a special circumstance justifying a stay.

"Having weighed the competing interests of the applicant against public interest considerations, the court does not agree that the medical issues raised satisfy the special circumstances test," she said. "The medical report gave me the impression that the applicant's medical needs are very well taken care of by the government, hospitals and experts."

The judge also ruled that the multi-billion-ringgit fine was not a special circumstance, because payment cannot be enforced until his appeal avenues are exhausted. According to FMT, she told his lawyer that Najib could seek a fresh stay from the Court of Appeal.

The arguments

Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib argued that a stay would harm the public interest and undermine the finality of a trial that ran for seven years. FMT reported that he called the offences serious because they involved "a systematic diversion of a sovereign fund".

Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said the application was not filed right after the 26 December verdict so that Najib would stay eligible for concurrent sentences if his appeal succeeds. Malay Mail reported he said it was filed with the right to seek a stay later. He also said the 1MDB appeal would become academic without a stay, but that the records of appeal are not ready and no hearing date has been fixed, according to FMT.

Background

On 26 December 2025, the High Court, led by Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Federal Court judge), convicted Najib on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving about RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined more than RM11.38 billion, with a recoverable sum of RM2.081 billion, Malay Mail reported.

Najib is now serving his reduced sentence in the SRC International case. On 18 September, the Federal Territories Pardons Board announced that he could serve the rest of the SRC sentence under house arrest until 23 August 2028, subject to conditions including payment of a RM50 million fine, Malay Mail reported. His lawyer told the court today that Najib is still in Kajang Prison because the RM50 million has not been paid. Once it is, he will be moved to his home, Shafee said, according to FMT.

What happens next

Najib can apply for a fresh stay at the Court of Appeal. The main 1MDB appeal has no date yet because the records of appeal are not ready. Before that, he must still meet the house arrest conditions in the SRC case.

For other court cases involving politicians, read Bar's challenge to Zahid NFA on hold until Federal Court rules and PN gets leave to challenge RoS suspension, activities stay frozen.

Sources

• Malay Mail, 1MDB trial: Judge rejects Najib's bid to stay prison sentence, says his medical issues not special circumstances, 14 October 2026
• Free Malaysia Today, Najib fails to halt 1MDB conviction, sentence, 14 October 2026