Najib Razak, 71, was initially ousted in a scandal linked to the embezzlement of funds from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund and was sentenced to prison in 2020. However, in a major shift, a Malaysian court announced on June 20, 2025, that the charges against him would be dismissed on grounds of prosecutorial unpreparedness, despite the charges being filed six years ago.

This ruling comes after Najib's prison sentence was recently reduced from 12 years to six, alongside a significant reduction of his imposed fine—now at $11 million. With his sentence now halved, Najib has expressed intentions to serve the remainder of his term, which is set to conclude in 2028, at home.

Critics of the decision are vocal in their frustration, viewing it as indicative of the current prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's failure to uphold accountability measures. Anwar, who has previously aligned his political stance with anti-corruption, has distanced himself from Najib’s legal issues, asserting that his administration is focused on recovering misappropriated funds rather than solely punishing individuals.

As the fallout from Najib's legal victories continues, many are left questioning the implications for Malaysia's fight against corruption and governance integrity.