Malaysia's King allows former leader Najib to serve rest of his graft sentence under house arrest

Malaysia's king on Friday granted royal clemency to jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak, allowing him to serve the remainder of his graft sentence under house arrest. The decision is contingent upon Najib paying a twelve million dollar fine. Najib was originally jailed for his involvement in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB corruption scandal.

The unprecedented use of house arrest as a form of royal clemency marks a significant development in Malaysia's legal and political landscape. Analysts note the decision could renew public debate surrounding the scope of royal powers, the application of the rule of law, and the perceived special treatment afforded to the country's most prominent corruption convict.