Malaysian court tosses jailed ex-Prime Minister Najib's bid to serve graft sentence in house arrest

A Malaysian court has dismissed a bid by imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve his remaining corruption sentence under house arrest. In an application in April, Najib had said that then-King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah issued an addendum order during a Jan. 29 pardons board meeting, allowing him to finish his sentence under house arrest. It also cut his 12-year jail sentence by half and sharply reduced a fine. The High Court ruled Wednesday that the government has no legal duty to verify if such an order existed. Najib's lawyer called the ruling disappointing and said the government’s silence implied there is such an addendum order. He says Najib will appeal.