PUBLISHED ONSeptember 21, 2026 10:36 AMBYSean LerFormer Malaysia prime minister Najib Razak is touched by the expression of solidarity and people donating to a solidarity fund launched by his party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), said his daughter Nooryana Najwa in an Instagram post on Sunday (Sept 20).
The fund was launched by UMNO to help Najib, 73, meet the RM50 million (S$15.6 million) fine, which is among the conditions attached to the pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.
As at Sept 19, the fund has collected RM1 million (S$312,000), according to a social media post by UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Nooryana said her family is touched by UMNO's efforts to spearhead the solidarity fund.
"(Najib) never wanted to cause trouble for the party or the people. Every contribution is completely voluntary and according to each person's ability — there is no compulsion or obligation on anyone to contribute," Nooryana said.
She also relayed her father's gratitude for the donations: "I really didn't expect so many people to be willing to contribute. I would never force it on anyone."
Nooryana's post was made on the same day Najib released a statement, through his lawyers, on his Facebook page.
In his post, he said he received Malaysia King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's decision to grant him a rare royal clemency with "great gratitude and humility".
He also expressed his appreciation to the Pardons Board for considering his appeal.
On Sept 18, the Prime Minister's Office, in a statement issued by its Legal Affairs Department, announced that the King had granted a "conditional" pardon that would allow Najib to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.
Najib has been imprisoned since August 2022 after Malaysia's top court upheld his conviction in a graft case linked to the multi-billion dollar state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million channelled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.
In January 2024, a Pardons Board chaired by the then-king halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fine to RM50 million.
Responding to netizens' questions on whether the former prime minister has returned home, Nooryana said: "For now, not yet."
She explained that the fine must be made to the court, and it will then issue a receipt, which will be handed over to prison.
"Only then can the prison issue a 'release order' for the house arrest process," she said.
In his statement, Najib said his family's assets, bank accounts and property are still subject to the government's freezing orders and enforcement proceedings.
This, he said, rendered him unable to make the required payment.
Speaking at a Shah Alam event on Sunday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dismissed rumours that he had paved the way for the pardon.
"What I said is that every prisoner has the right to submit an appeal, and I stand by defending that right for anyone, including Najib.
"He has the right to submit his appeal for consideration by the Pardons Board, which is chaired by the King, and the board must consider it," Anwar stated.
The prime minister added that he had continued to remind the Pardons Board of Najib's ongoing court cases, the size of the fine, and the possible impact of its decision on public confidence and international opinion.
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