The Merdeka Center for Projek Sama called 1,210 real Malaysians across all 222 parliamentary seats. The result: 57.8% said no pardon for Najib Razak in the SRC case, only 32.7% said yes. And when they asked about house arrest for corruption cases in general, 70% said no, do not give home detention to people convicted of corruption, abuse of power, breach of trust and money laundering. So the country is now split in half.
Look at the
ethnic breakdown, and you will see we are living in a few different Malaysias
at the same time. Support for the pardon was highest among Indians at 62.2%,
then Muslim Bumiputeras at 50.5%, then Malays at 43%. Among Chinese
respondents, 95% opposed it.
Source: https://ms.wikipedia.org
Then look at the politics. People leaning to Pakatan Harapan opposed the pardon at over 92%. People leaning to Barisan Nasional opposed it at only around 35%. Meaning even inside UMNO's own house, they are those arguing at the dinner table.
The whole house arrest circus feels like a drama series with no ending. First the sentence was 12 years. Then suddenly it became 6 years. Then suddenly there is a RM50 million fine. Then suddenly UMNO pays it like it is collecting for a wedding angpow. Then suddenly there is a conditional pardon. Then suddenly the AGC says wait, hold on, and cannot move yet. Then suddenly Najib Razak is back in Kajang again, after going out for a dental checkup like he is going for a spa appointment. Netflix does not have this many twists in its dramas series.
This is only for the first case. There is still a second case waiting behind, a 15-year sentence for the other 1MDB charges. So this whole debate is like arguing about whether the prisoner should get a window seat on a flight that has not even taken off yet.
Meanwhile, the Government is considering a House Arrest Act (“Act”). Under the Act, remand detainees are placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring device until their trial. It may reduce the overpopulation of prisoners.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Malaysia’s prison population has exceeded 87,000 inmates against an original capacity of roughly 75,000. Here are the current statistics:
· Inmate
Population: Over 87,000 prisoners (up from ~84,143 recorded in late 2025). At
total of 35% or 30,450 are remand detainees awaiting trial.
· System
Capacity: Approximately 75,000 capacity limit.
· Overcrowding
Level: The facilities operate well above maximum design thresholds, leading to
an occupancy rate exceeding 115%.
· Community Rehabilitation: Thousands of additional individuals are managed outside physical prisons through alternative measures such as parole, the Licensed Release of Prisoners (PBSL) scheme, and compulsory attendance orders.
For Bossku, what would you suggest?
a) Stay in Kajang, full stop. Same food, same room,
same rules like everyone else.
b) House arrest in Langgak Duta. Ankle bracelet, police outside, cannot go to Pavilion. Basically jail, but with better pillows and a maid. If my house arrest looks like that, please arrest me also.
c) House arrest, but in an UMNO member's PPR flat in Segambut. No air-cond, one fan that sounds like a helicopter, neighbor’s rooster starts at 4am, internet slow like a snail on holiday.
This is why the common man is laughing and crying at the same time. Laughing because the satire writes itself. Crying because we are paying for the satire with our ringgit, and our children's future. While the rich argue about which house is more suitable for punishment, we are arguing about whether to buy chicken or eggs this week.
And Bossku, if you are reading this from wherever you are sleeping tonight, I have one last question. Can you at least return a substantial part of the loot? We, the rakyat, would like to move on.
References:
Opinion: Kajang or Langgak Duta?, Nganasegaran, Sam Trailerman, Newswav, 11 Nov 2026
Bossku’s House Arrest:
Winners, losers and what Malaysians get out of it, Pragalath, Focus Malaysia,
11 Nov 2026
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