Can Najib use Rosmah’s phone while in house arrest?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27, 2026 – Legal experts have warned that enforcing strict prison‑style restrictions on Najib Razak during his proposed house arrest could prove nearly impossible, particularly when it comes to preventing him from using his wife Rosmah Mansor’s phone.

Lawyer Nizam Bashir told Malaysiakini that authorities cannot realistically monitor every private interaction in Najib’s home. “If Najib and Rosmah live together, there is no way to guarantee he never uses her phone,” he said. Electronic monitoring devices can confirm Najib’s presence at home, but they cannot track whose phone he is using.

Phone use

Another lawyer, Kasthuri Krishnan, agreed, noting that restrictions on Najib do not automatically extend to Rosmah. She suggested CCTV surveillance could help, but acknowledged the difficulty of distinguishing between devices or services used by Najib and those belonging to other household members.

The issue highlights the absence of a clear legal framework for house arrest in Malaysia. Current laws, including the Prison Act 1995, allow conditional release but do not explicitly cover electronic monitoring or shared household arrangements.

Experts argue that without detailed standard operating procedures, enforcing compliance will remain ambiguous, raising questions about how Najib’s house arrest can be effectively monitored.

#latestmalaysia

New: Malaysian Bar to Challenge Najib’s House Arrest Decision