Najib Razak: Malaysia HC approves bail for arrested ex-PM

Kuala Lumpur, July 4: A judge of a high court in Malaysia on Wednesday, July 4, approved a bail for the country's former prime minister Najib Razak at 1 million ringgit in case ($250,000), the Associated Press reported.

The judge, Mohamad Sofian Abdul Razak also told Razak, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the four charges in the corruption case involving 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad ) state investment fund, to also surrender his two diplomatic passports, the report added.

Razak, who lost power earlier this year in a historic election in Malaysia, was arrested on Tuesday, July 3, in connection to investigation into SRC International, a former unit of the state-funded 1MDB.

Razak, who was in power for nine years, was set to be charged in court on Wednesday, July 4, the task force probing the 1MDB scandal said, also adding that the 64-year-old former prime minister was held at his private residence at the Malaysian capital.

The criminal charges came two months after the scandal led to Razak's shock election debacle.

According to an AFP report, security sources said the anti-corruption officials arrived at Razak's residence "in three to four unmarked cars". He was then escorted to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya.

Razak's house was searched by the Malaysian police in May, a week after his electoral loss as the new prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, 92, had said earlier that he was considering re-opening corruption probe against his former ally.