WHEN Datuk Seri Najib Razak moves from prison to house arrest at his Jalan Langgak Duta residence, will it mean that he is shifting from the grim confine of the prison walls to the luxury setting of his home?
The first impression one gets is that the former Prime Minister will be settling down to a life of leisure and relaxation as he breathes in the fresh air of freedom.
Let’s imagine how he will be spending his care-free time at his residence. He will be sitting on his sofa surrounded by his family members and cuddling his grandchildren as they gambol around him.
Perhaps, maids instead of prison guards will be on hand to take care of his lunch and dinner and make sure he gets a good afternoon rest to the gentle, soporific hum of the air-conditioners.
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Come evening, the television will be switched on but he won’t be watching the news because it’s bad for his grandchildren to see their grandfather marching to court under heavy police escort every time there’s a news clip about him and the scandals.
No hanky-panky
Gossips, laughter and story-telling will resonate through the hall as family members recall fondly all the happy memories of bygone days.
Days and nights will be spent in such an idyllic environment and after six years, the felon will walk free from the miasma of the past.
To pave the way for his arrival, the Prisons Department has reportedly visited his plush residence at Taman Duta in Kuala Lumpur to check out whether it is a suitable place for a house arrest.
What are the criteria to be fulfilled for a house arrest? Perhaps, the prison officers have a checklist of all the requirements that must be met before they bring in the inmate.
We can only guess what the officers did when they entered the house:
- Examined the room where the prisoner is to be locked up;
- Instructed that the room be stripped of all curtains and decorations to make it look as bare as possible;
- Informed the family the door lock will be changed to a more sophisticated device that can detect the slightest turn of the knob;
- Told the household that CCTVs will be installed at every nook and corner of the house to monitor every movement of the prisoner;
- Emphasised that all the windows will be boarded up to prevent curious onlookers from peeping in;
- Proposed that a section of the kitchen be partitioned off to serve as a guardhouse; and,
- Warned the family members not to sneak into his room or fool around with the prisoner.
It could be a long list containing many more mandatory requirements. However, choosing Najib’s home for his detention might not be an ideal choice.
House arrest must be as severe as serving time in prison. The place selected must reflect the actual grim conditions of the cell.
Limited UMNO contact at best
Political leaders in many countries who have been placed under house arrest were whisked away unceremoniously to an undisclosed location and there they would spend the rest of their time rueing the day they fell from power.
Now that Bossku is placed under house arrest, let’s re-create how events should unfold.
For starters, he must be taken away in an unmarked car to an isolated house. The authorities must ensure:
- Electrified barb wires and high walls surround the compound;
- All exit points must be sealed off and all doors securely locked;
- The house must be bathed under the harsh glare of searchlights at nights;
- Only a few weak bulbs will light up the interior of the house;
- Only minimal family contacts are allowed under the watchful eyes of the guard, and that’s for the purpose of exchanging a few words or gestures;
- All visitors, especially UMNO members, can only to speak to him through a frosted glass window in the presence of the ever-vigilant guard to ensure no secret political messages are passed or plots cooked;
- Bossku must stay cooped up in the house at all times and can only leave for a medical emergency procedure and not an UMNO emergency meeting;
- All communications links and entertainment outlets like television and home cinemas must be cut off because he must always be kept in a world of silence;
- Electronic monitors must be fixed on his ankles round the clock to thwart any time at a great escape;
- Lookouts armed with binoculars must be posted at strategic points of the compound to ensure no intruders can get in; and,
- Even drones could be enlisted to strengthen security.
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Must reflect falling from grace
But how can all these strict restrictions be enforced in his posh residence in Taman Duta? How can it be made to look like an intimidating and forbidding correctional facility?
The Prisons Department could have scouted around the country for a more suitable house in some remote area which has all the features of a real prison.
For example, a god-forsaken building, a cement-floored room with barren walls which is alternately cold or hot depending on the weather, a single hard bed with a thin sheet of cloth to serve as a blanket – in short, a replay of the Kajang prison.
If such a facility cannot be found, then a military barrack could serve equally as well as an alternative site for detention.
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No matter where Najib is placed, the overriding concern must be to never allow him to forget the crime he had committed. A house arrest must not be treated like you are checking into a hotel to enjoy all the comforts of a long stay.
A house arrest must be a continuation of his misery, shame, pain and retribution that will leave a permanent wound on his conscience, if he has any. All the years spent languishing in the room must serve as a constant stark reminder of his great fall from grace. – Sept 21, 2026
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
