The High Court in Malaysia partially granted former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s application to obtain five categories of documents linked to the US$8 billion 1MDB civil suit on June 5, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Najib attended the proceedings with his lawyers present [1, 2].
The civil suit, filed on May 7, 2021, initially named 15 defendants but now lists Najib and seven co-defendants who face claims for alleged losses related to 1MDB and its subsidiaries [2, 3]. The court ordered 1MDB and its subsidiaries to provide a complete list of monies, assets, or property that have been recovered, returned, repatriated, or realized [1, 2, 3, 4].
The disclosure includes legal records related to the matter and documents evidencing recovery or restitution of funds [1, 2]. However, the court rejected Najib’s broader requests for other materials such as accounting and valuation reports. Instead, access is limited to five specific documents partly held by 1MDB [1, 3, 4].
Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan Idrus said, "The documents requested by the former prime minister were clearly relevant and necessary for the fair disposal of the suit" and emphasized Najib's right "to know, in particular, the documents and details of the amount that has been recovered and the circumstances under which the amount was obtained" [4]. The protective order ensures these documents are restricted to the judge, court staff, the parties, and their lawyers and remain confidential "solely for the purpose of these proceedings," the commissioner added [2].
This US$8 billion suit is one of 22 civil actions by 1MDB seeking to recover over US$23 billion from individuals tied to the scandal [2, 3, 4]. The defendants’ list has narrowed to eight, including Najib, after some parties were removed since the suit’s 2021 filing [2, 3].
The court has ordered 1MDB and its subsidiaries to deliver the required documents within 21 days of the ruling on June 5, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
