Malaysia Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated Friday that proposed house arrest reforms are part of broader justice system changes aimed at reducing prison overcrowding and recidivism, denying speculation the legislation was designed to benefit imprisoned former prime minister Najib Razak.

Fadzil defended the proposal as part of broader criminal justice reforms, pointing to prison overcrowding with 87,000 inmates in facilities designed for 74,000. The government cites a pilot project suggesting reduced recidivism rates among minor offenders serving sentences at home, though specific data from this study has not been publicly released.

Currently, section 3 of the Malaysian Prison Act 1995 grants the government power to declare any place to be a prison.

The proposed legislation, included in the government’s 2025 budget plans, has drawn attention as Najib, whose 12-year prison sentence was halved by a pardons board chaired by Malaysia’s king, seeks to serve his remaining term under house arrest. The former prime minister is pursuing legal channels to compel the government to confirm what he claims is a royal order recommending his transfer to home confinement.

The legislation has drawn increased scrutiny in the context of one of Malaysia’s biggest financial scandals. Last Thursday, former Prime Minister Najib issued a public apology acknowledging that the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal occurred under his watch as prime minister and finance minister. However, he maintained that he did not know about the illegal transactions. The state investment fund, which Najib co-founded in 2009 during his tenure as both prime minister and finance minister, was created to drive strategic development projects but became the center of a global financial scandal.

In 2022, Malaysia’s top court upheld Najib’s conviction for corruption and money laundering, finding him guilty of illegally receiving approximately $10 million from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary established for energy investments. While Najib claims these funds were political donations from Saudi Arabia, investigators have traced more than $1 billion in 1MDB-linked funds to his accounts, allegations he continues to deny. The scandal has prompted corruption investigations in at least six countries over the alleged misappropriation of over $4.5 billion by high-level fund officials and their associates.

The timing of the proposed legislation has attracted scrutiny within Malaysia’s legal context, where the Malaysian Bar Council, NGO representatives, and other observers have documented concerns about judicial independence. These groups have cited significant limitations on judicial autonomy, pointing to instances of selective prosecution and preferential treatment in high-profile cases. Observers note that the judiciary often defers to executive authority, especially in cases involving government interests.