Najib Razak will serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim granted him a conditional pardon today.

The decision was made at the 64th meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories at Istana Negara, allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence at home until August 23, 2028.

So, is it a royal pardon? Yes.

Under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has the power to grant pardons, reprieves and respites for offences tried in the Federal Territories.

But it is a conditional pardon, meaning Najib must comply with the conditions attached to it. One of those conditions is payment of a RM50 million fine. If he breaches the conditions, the pardon can be revoked and he must return to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Najib has been serving a six-year sentence at Kajang Prison for his conviction in the SRC International case.

His original 12-year sentence and RM210 million fine were reduced by the Pardons Board in 2024 to six years and RM50 million respectively.

Today's decision does not overturn that conviction. It changes where Najib will serve the remaining sentence.

It also does not resolve his separate 1MDB case.

Najib was sentenced to another 15 years in prison and fined RM11.4 billion in December 2025 after being convicted of abuse of power and money laundering involving RM2.3 billion linked to 1MDB. He is appealing that conviction.

The latest pardon is therefore tied to the SRC International sentence, not a blanket pardon covering his other legal proceedings.

The decision also comes after months of controversy over an alleged royal addendum said to have allowed Najib to serve his sentence under house arrest.

That earlier claim became the subject of a separate court case. Today's decision, however, is an express decision by the Pardons Board granting Najib conditional house arrest.

Now, there is the RM50 million condition.

UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will launch a contribution fund to help Najib settle the RM50 million fine.

He called on UMNO leaders, members and supporters, as well as others who want to contribute, to participate voluntarily. Zahid said the initiative would be carried out transparently, systematically and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

So, while Najib's next chapter will be served at home rather than Kajang Prison, UMNO is now preparing to raise RM50 million to meet one of the conditions attached to that house arrest.