KUALA LUMPUR – The judiciary has officially released its full written reasoning in the country’s most high-profile corruption case. Specifically, the newly published 1MDB grounds of judgment feature remarkably sharp rebukes against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Trial judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah noted that the financial looting of the sovereign wealth fund was so massive that it “made Attila the Hun look like a choirboy by comparison.” The exhaustive 809-page document details the court’s decision to convict Najib across 25 distinct criminal charges.
Blame Shifting and Lack of Remorse Slammed
The comprehensive text pulls no punches regarding the former leader’s conduct throughout the legal saga. For instance, Justice Sequerah explicitly noted that Najib has never shown any genuine remorse for the colossal financial damage inflicted upon Malaysia. Instead, the defense consistently attempted to paint the former prime minister as an innocent victim who was completely duped by his subordinates and fugitive businessman Jho Low.
However, the 1MDB grounds of judgment strongly reject this narrative. The judge stated that Najib was certainly no “country bumpkin” or ignorant bystander. He held the highest reins of power simultaneously as prime minister, finance minister, and chairman of the 1MDB board of advisers. Consequently, the court ruled it entirely improbable that he was blissfully unaware of the misdeeds happening around him. The judgment emphasizes that he actively used his exalted position to influence abnormal transactions with unholy haste.
An Unenviable Record in Malaysian Legal History
The release of the document arrives roughly six months after the High Court originally handed down its historic verdict on December 26, 2025. In that ruling, the court sentenced Najib to 15 years in prison and a staggering RM11.38 billion fine for power abuse and money laundering involving RM2.28 billion. Justice Sequerah, who has since been elevated to the Federal Court, used the newly public 1MDB grounds of judgment to reflect on the trial’s deeply complicated, six-year journey.
The proceedings suffered immense delays from a “chequered history” of interruptions. For example, the court lost dozens of hearing dates to the global pandemic, lockdowns, and close-contact quarantines. Spanning a total of 303 trial days and featuring testimonies from 76 total witnesses, it likely stands as the longest criminal trial in the history of the nation. The judge noted that this unprecedented length constitutes an unenviable record in the annals of Malaysian courts.
Long-Term Obligations for Future Generations
The court heavily emphasized public interest and the necessity of legal deterrence when formalizing the massive penalties. According to state figures cited in the text, billions in 1MDB-linked debts remain completely outstanding. The judge wrote that these severe and enduring financial consequences will continue to burden future generations of Malaysians. Therefore, sending a clear, uncompromising message from the bench remained paramount.
Meanwhile, Najib is currently serving his separate six-year prison sentence stemming from the SRC International case. The court previously ordered that his 15-year 1MDB jail term will only begin to run concurrently once his SRC imprisonment concludes, which is slated for August 2028. While Najib’s legal team continues to pursue an appeal at the Court of Appeal, these newly minted 1MDB grounds of judgment provide the solid, incontrovertible foundation of the state’s sprawling prosecution.
