THE High Court is set to announce its decision in the RM2.3 billion 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial of former Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday, potentially closing one chapter of the politician’s extensive legal battles.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah will determine whether Najib is guilty or innocent of four charges of misappropriating 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering.
The trial, which has drawn worldwide attention, spanned more than 293 days and heard testimony from 50 prosecution witnesses and 26 defence witnesses.
Key figures included former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh, ex-CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, 1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, and Tengku Datuk Rahimah Sultan Mahmud, sister of the Terengganu ruler.
Najib, who once held dual roles as prime minister and finance minister, has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that the funds were political donations and that he was misled by those around him.
The prosecution has argued that he was the ultimate decision-maker, actively enabling and benefiting from complex financial manoeuvres that drained public funds.
The defence, led by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, insists the case is flawed, politically motivated, and reliant on unproven assumptions.
“If the court finds that Najib’s defence has successfully raised reasonable doubt, he will be acquitted. Conversely, a guilty verdict will result in sentencing, though he may apply for a stay of execution pending appeal at the Court of Appeal,” observers said.
Separately, controversy continues over Najib’s request to serve the remainder of his SRC International sentence, relating to RM42 million misappropriated from the company, under home detention.
On Tuesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court rejected his judicial review application to compel the government and six other parties to enforce the so-called ‘Titah Adendum’.
Political analyst Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri emphasised that any move to implement home detention must first be debated and passed by Parliament to become law.
He warned against interpreting the court’s rejection as diminishing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s powers, noting past precedents such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s earlier unsuccessful home detention request.
“In discussing home detention, it is not a new issue. Anwar Ibrahim also applied for home detention while in prison, and Parliament confirmed that the legal framework does not allow it.
“Any decision must follow proper legislative procedure, not arbitrary assumptions about the Agong’s powers,” he said during the Agenda AWANI programme on Wednesday.
Hisomuddin Bakar, Executive Director of ILHAM Centre, added that the ongoing debate surrounding the Titah Adendum must be carefully managed to avoid damaging the reputation of the current governing coalition.
He noted the importance of considering both rational and emotional responses among voters when handling politically sensitive issues.
The High Court’s ruling on the 1MDB trial, combined with the ongoing controversy over home detention, underscores the continued intersection of legal proceedings and political considerations surrounding Najib Razak, one of Malaysia’s most prominent and polarising figures. - December 25, 2025
