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Malaysia: Jailed Ex-PM Najib's effort to overturn conviction gets final blow

Malaysia: Jailed Ex-PM Najib's effort to overturn conviction gets final blow

Najib Razak

Top court in Malaysia on Friday (March 31) dismissed jailed former prime minister Najib Razak's bid to review his corruption conviction for the multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB. The court decision has ended Najib's efforts to overturn the guilty verdict he received.

Najib became the first Malaysian premier to be imprisoned after Malaysia's Federal Court upheld a guilty verdict and 12-year prison sentence handed down to him by a lower court.

The 69-year-old Najib can no longer challenge the conviction. But he has applied for a royal pardon. If it comes through, it could see him released from jail before his 12-year term is fully served.

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Federal Court Judge Vernon Ong said a five-member panel voted 4-1 to dismiss Najib's application to review the conviction.

There was no miscarriage of justice in the top court's decision last year, he said, adding that a review was granted only in "very limited and exceptional circumstances".

"In the final analysis, and having regard to all circumstances, we are constrained to say that the applicant (Najib) was the author of his own misfortunes," Ong said.

Najib's lawyer Shafee Abdullah said there was a possibility of another action in court due to the dissenting view of one judge.

"As a result of the minority judgement, there is an avenue that is open," Shafee told reporters. He declined to say what action his client would pursue.

(With inputs from agencies)

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