On 6 November 2026 UMNO lawyers paid former prime minister Najib Razak’s RM50 million fine, fulfilling a key condition of the 18 September conditional royal pardon that allows him to serve the remainder of his reduced SRC sentence under house arrest until 23 August 2028.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers sought a temporary suspension pending legal clarification, triggering a political storm within the Madani government, while Istana Negara stated the pardon was clear, unrelated to other cases, and that all conditions had been met.

The dispute, unfolding during the Melaka election campaign, highlights tensions over Article 42, accountability for the 1MDB scandal, and the stability of the PH-UMNO coalition.

On Friday, 6 November 2026, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) lawyers settled former prime minister Najib Razak’s RM50 million fine at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The payment fulfilled a key condition of the conditional royal pardon granted on 18 September 2026 by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar. That decision allowed Najib, 73, to serve the remainder of his reduced six-year sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest at his Langgak Duta residence until 23 August 2028.

A High Court order followed, and Najib was driven from Kajang Prison in a convoy. Reports indicated the convoy stopped for a scheduled dental or medical examination at Kuala Lumpur Hospital before returning him to the prison that evening around 7.15pm. The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had, later that day, called for the house arrest to be temporarily suspended pending clarification on the legal interpretation of the conditional pardon and the court order, particularly its interaction with Najib’s separate 15-year concurrent sentence imposed in December 2025 in the main 1MDB case.

The AGC’s intervention triggered an immediate political storm inside the unity (Madani) government and beyond.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated he personally disagreed with UMNO’s decision to crowdfund and pay the fine through the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund (launched on 18 September). “While we maintain a spirit of friendship with Najib, it........

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