Najib released for medical treatment at HKL, says Saifuddin

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today confirmed that Najib Razak had been given a few days' release to undergo medical treatment at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).

He said the former prime minister had obtained permission for this from the Prisons Department.

"This is a normal request where I was informed by the director-general of prisons that he (Najib) was taken to hospital to undergo treatment," he told a press conference after attending the home ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya.

Saifuddin added that all detainees have the right to receive treatment, saying the matter would be managed by the Prisons Department.

It was reported yesterday that Najib had received treatment at HKL a few days ago, believed to be for a lung infection.

Najib began serving a 12-year prison sentence last August after losing his final appeal against his conviction on multiple counts of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in the misappropriation of SRC International funds.