Just crickets at Kajang Prison as Najib begins 12-year jail sentence

Just crickets at Kajang Prison as Najib begins 12-year jail sentence

Police officers conduct security checks at the entrance to Kajang Prison, August 23, 2022. The throngs of Najib supporters present at the Federal Court today never came to see their leader off as he began his 12-year prison sentence. — Picture by Devan Manuel

Tuesday, 23 Aug 2022 9:07 PM MYT


KAJANG, Aug 23 — All’s quiet at Kajang Prison more than an hour after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak entered its gates at approximately 6.05pm today.

The throngs of Najib supporters present at the Federal Court today — where Najib failed in his final appeal against the High Court’s guilty conviction in his SRC International corruption case — never came to see their leader off as he began his 12-year prison sentence.


This despite earlier talk of a possible candlelight vigil to protest his jailing.

At the time of writing, only a group of about 30 media personnel were staking out the prison entrance, accompanied by gloomy, wet weather and the sound of crickets.


It is understood that a small crowd of about 20 bystanders had gathered near the entrance earlier to watch the historic moment earlier, but they were asked to leave by police personnel at about 6.30pm.


Malay Mail also observed a group of five policemen spread out along the 200m stretch of road leading towards the prison.

Earlier, Najib was spotted being brought to the prison in a black SUV, accompanied by a motorcade of police vehicles.

Media personnel had earlier gathered at Sungai Buloh Prison at about 5pm, but later information revealed than Najib was being brought to Kajang Prison instead.

The Federal Court’s decision today marked a historic moment for Malaysian politics as the country witnessed for the first time a former prime minister admitted into jail.