New Delhi, Dec. 22 -- A Malaysian court Monday rejected former Prime Minister Najib Razak's bid to serve the remainder of his graft sentence under house arrest.

The High Court ruled that a rare royal order issued by the nation's former king was not valid as it wasn't made in accordance with constitutional requirements.

Najib's lawyer told the court they plan to appeal the verdict.

The 72-year-old former prime minister will serve the remainder of his term in prison, scheduled to end in August 2028 after the Pardons Board cut the 12-year sentence by half last year.

Najib is serving time after being convicted in a trial linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state fund that toppled his government in 2018. He was sentenced ...