• Malaysia's Federal Court allows Najib Razak to pursue a royal order for house arrest.
• The court accepted the existence of an addendum order linked to a royal pardon.
• Najib's legal team aims to confirm the authenticity of the royal document.
• Public sentiment is divided, with many expressing discontent over potential preferential treatment.
• Najib awaits a verdict in a major ongoing trial related to the 1MDB scandal.

Malaysia's Federal Court has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a significant legal victory, allowing him to pursue a request to confirm a royal order that could permit him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence at home instead of in Kajang prison. Since being jailed in August 2022 for his involvement in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB corruption scandal, Najib has sought judicial review regarding a supposed royal document issued by former King Al-Sultan Abdullah, which he claims would facilitate his house arrest, according to Channel News Asia.

The court's three-member panel unanimously acknowledged the existence of the royal document that Najib claims exists but refrained from verifying its authenticity. Judge Zabariah Mohd Yusof stated that while the court accepted the alleged document's existence, this did not confirm its validity. The High Court is set to take further action on the matter, which has sparked intrigue and controversy in Malaysia, as many government officials have previously denied knowledge of the document, despite confirmation from the former king's office, according to South China Morning Post and Reuters.

Najib was convicted in 2020 for criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving 42 million ringgit (approximately US$9.8 million) that was misappropriated from 1MDB, which he established during his tenure as prime minister. Public backlash has grown as many Malaysians express outrage over the potential for Najib to serve his sentence in the accommodation of his home rather than in prison, viewing it as an affront to justice, as reported by The Jakarta Post.

Moreover, with additional cases still pending against him related to the 1MDB scandal, Najib's situation remains precarious. His political organization, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), seems poised to leverage this development; their support demonstrates his continuing influence despite having lost the 2018 elections amid widespread public outcry over corruption allegations. The court has scheduled further hearings for August 18, where arguments will continue surrounding the document’s validity and implications for Najib, according to South China Morning Post, Reuters, and The Jakarta Post.