KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 12-year jail term has been halved to six years, which means he can be released earlier on August 23, 2028, the Federal Territories Pardons Board said today.

The Pardons Board said it had also decided to reduce his RM210 million fine to RM50 million, and his early release would be contingent on him paying this amount.

If he fails to do so, his early release date will be a year later on August 23, 2029.

The announcement released around 3.30pm ended more than three days of suspense and intense speculation over the Pardons Board’s decision on Najib’s bid.

Najib has been imprisoned since August 23, 2022, after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for criminal breach of trust, power abuse, and money laundering over the misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s RM42 million.

He has been a prisoner for more than one year and five months now since August 2022, and his 12-year jail term was initially due to end in 2034.

Lawyers had previously said that Najib would only need to serve two-thirds of his prison term if he shows good behaviour as a prisoner.

Based on the typical one-third remission or reduction on jail terms for prisoners with good behaviour, Najib’s release date could for example be as early as August 2026, without considering the one-year extension if he fails to pay the RM50 million fine.

Najib filed his application for a pardon on September 2, 2022, just days after he started serving his 12-year jail term at the Kajang prison.

In the official statement today on behalf of the Federal Territories Pardons Board, the Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs Division as the board’s secretariat said this decision was made following the January 29 meeting of the Pardons Board for the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

It said the Pardons Board meeting, which was chaired by then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, had considered five pardons application including the one from Najib.

The Pardons Board secretariat said the decision — to give a 50 per cent reduction on Najib’s jail term and to reduce the amount of money he has to pay as fine — was made after the Pardons Board considered advice and opinions.

“Therefore, it was agreed for Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak to be released on an early release date namely August 23, 2028 and the fine that has to be paid namely RM210,000,000 be reduced to RM50,000,000,” it said, adding that his already-reduced jail term would be extended by one year if he does not pay the fine and that this release date will then be on August 23, 2029.

Under the Federal Constitution, the Agong chairs the meetings of the Pardons Board for the federal territories, which comprises the attorney general, the Federal Territories minister, and a maximum of three other members appointed by the Agong.

To know how the royal pardon process works in Malaysia, read this summary by Malay Mail.