"Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday rejected former Prime Minister Najib Razak's request to serve his six-year prison sentence under house arrest. The court dismissed the validity of a purported 'royal addendum order' for Razak to serve the remainder of his jail term at home, marking a setback for Najib's legal strategy. Footage shows supporters from Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) gathered outside the courtroom in a show of solidarity, as well as press working on site. High Court judge Alice Loke ruled that the government had ‘no power and no duty’ to implement the house arrest order. She emphasised a key constitutional principle: the former King, as a constitutional monarch, must adhere to the formal advice of the Pardons Board when considering pardons and must operate within the laws established by the federal constitution. "The exercise of the prerogative of power of mercy is no exception. It must follow the legal framework that safeguards constitutional limits," she stated. Judge Loke acknowledged that while the royal addendum's existence was not disputed, it had not been discussed at the Pardons Board meeting in January 2024, which solely addressed a sentence reduction. This ruling stems from Najib's historic conviction in the SRC International case, linked to the infamous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. He was found guilty in 2020 of misappropriating RM42 million (US$10 million), with his original 12-year sentence reduced to six years by the Pardons Board in early 2024. The 1MDB scandal is estimated to involve the laundering of around US$4.5 billion. Najib, 72, will continue serving his sentence at Kajang Prison in Selangor, which is set to conclude in August 2028. His legal team has filed an appeal. This ruling precedes another critical verdict on Friday, in Najib's main 1MDB trial, where he faces 25 charges concerning the alleged misappropriation of RM2.28 billion (US$560 million) and abuse of power, all of which he denies. Najib, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million. However, the then-king, Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, reduced the sentence to six years and the fine to RM50 million just before his reign ended on January 30, 2024."