Najib Drops Contempt Action Against Former AG, Abandons House Arrest Appeal
PUTRAJAYA, April 28 — Former prime minister Najib Razak has withdrawn his bid to pursue contempt of court proceedings against former attorney-general Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, while also discontinuing a related appeal tied to his attempt to serve his sentence under house arrest.
A notice of discontinuance dated April 3 was submitted by his legal representatives, Shafee & Co, via the Court of Appeal’s electronic filing system. The filing confirmed that Najib was terminating the appeal concerning the committal proceedings, without leave to refile and with no order on legal costs.
The Court of Appeal acknowledged the withdrawal in a reply dated April 6, confirming that the matter had been struck off the civil appeals list in accordance with procedural rules.
No explanation was provided for the decision.
The withdrawn contempt application had been linked to an alleged royal addendum dated January 29, 2024, which Najib claimed contained directives allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under home detention. The document was said to have been addressed to the attorney-general at the time for implementation.
Earlier, Najib’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had indicated that the legal team intended to proceed with the case, citing the time and financial resources already invested.
However, developments in the courts appear to have shifted that approach.
Najib is also understood to have withdrawn his appeal connected to a judicial review application seeking enforcement of the alleged addendum.
The High Court had previously dismissed the judicial review bid in December 2025, ruling that the matter of house arrest had neither been discussed nor decided by the Pardons Board during its meeting on January 29.
The decision, delivered by High Court judge Alice Loke Yee Ching, found no legal grounds to compel authorities to implement the claimed directive.
Najib has been serving his sentence at Kajang Prison since August 2022 following his conviction in the SRC International case. He had filed a petition for royal clemency shortly after his incarceration.
Subsequently, the Pardons Board reduced his prison term from 12 years to six years and lowered his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
Legal observers view the withdrawal of both actions as a notable shift in Najib’s legal strategy, although questions surrounding the alleged addendum remain unresolved and continue to attract public attention.
-wilayah.com.my
