Kuala Lampur, Nov. 9 -- On September 25, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah reportedly said that Najib could leave Kajang Prison as early as October to serve the remainder of his SRC International sentence under house arrest if the High Court granted a stay of his 15-year 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) sentence.

It was a big 'if'.

That is because when asked how soon Najib could return home to serve his sentence under house arrest if all the required conditions were met, Shafee said it would depend on whether the necessary preparations had been completed.

"If we are ready, say on October 14 we obtain the stay of sentence and then, God willing, the RM50 million is paid, there is a str...