A Malaysian court has cleared the way for former Prime Prime Minister Najib Razak to be transferred to house arrest, settling a dispute over the implementation of a royal pardon.

Najib, 73, who is serving a jail sentence for his role in the 1MDB corruption scandal, was granted a conditional pardon in September. This pardon included a reduction of his prison term and the possibility of serving the remainder under house arrest.

On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Aslam Zainuddin stated, “In accordance with the order of conditional pardon, the accused shall serve the remainder of the reduced sentence of six years’ imprisonment under house arrest.” This decision followed a last-minute intervention by the attorney general, who had postponed Najib's transfer to house arrest after questioning the legal interpretation of the pardon and the initial court order.

The controversy underscored the complex relationship between Malaysia's constitutional monarchy, the judiciary, and the executive branch. King Sultan Ibrahim, who holds the largely ceremonial but constitutionally empowered role of granting pardons, had previously warned against any challenges to his decree allowing Najib to move to house arrest, reportedly stating that such actions could be seen as defiance.

Reporting from Kuala Lumpur, Al Jazeera's Rob McBride noted the political and constitutional controversy stirred by the attorney general's intervention. He highlighted the King's displeasure with the interference, suggesting it set a difficult precedent and emphasized the delicate balance of power in Malaysia.

The house arrest order specifically applies to Najib's first conviction related to the 1MDB scandal. He faces an additional 15-year prison sentence after being found guilty in a separate 1MDB-linked case last year. His sentence for that case is slated to begin after his house arrest period concludes, and Najib has appealed this conviction.

Najib's political party, UMNO, had previously paid the $12 million fine associated with the pardon, a step necessary for his release from prison and subsequent transfer. The legal dispute arose over how to interpret the terms of the pardon and the court's authority in light of the attorney general's concerns.

This development is the latest chapter in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Najib Razak and the massive 1MDB scandal, which involved billions of dollars allegedly plundered from the sovereign wealth fund. The case has drawn international attention and highlighted issues of governance and corruption in Malaysia.