Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s eight-hour outing while under house arrest has sparked public discussion. The Prisons Department said he had left home for scheduled activities, including a medical check-up, Friday prayers and a rehabilitation counselling programme.
Sin Chew Daily (《星洲日报》) reported that Malaysia’s Prisons Department said in a statement on Friday (13 November) that Najib’s itinerary that day began at 10.25am and ended at 6.25pm. The entire outing complied with established standard operating procedures and the conditions of his house arrest, and was supervised by the department.
The department said Najib visited the orthopaedic department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a scheduled medical check-up as part of his follow-up treatment.
He then attended Friday prayers at the mosque in Kajang Prison, followed by a Quran (《可兰经》) study session with religious teachers from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia and a counselling session with the prison’s psychology officers.
The statement said Najib arrived at his home in Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur, at 6.25pm after completing all his activities.
The statement noted that religious activities, medical care, and rehabilitation and intervention programmes were among the priorities in managing prisoners. “The Prisons Department will continue to ensure that all related activities are carried out in an orderly and professional manner, in accordance with current regulations.”
