Press reports state that the bail conditions imposed on mega thief Najib while he pursues an appeal require him to report in on the first and fifteenth days of the month!  In that time he could walk to any country prepared to let him in. Malaysians should be in no doubt in this matter. Even if the Court of Appeal decides to hear an appeal, and that depends on whether they think there is any merit in it, that does not mean the mega crook will walk free.

Probably Najib is relying on a long interval before his appeal is heard. That should not be so. The Court can first decide if there is any apparent merit to his plea and, if so, can hear it at very little advance notice. Or simply find it without any legal merit and decline to hear it at all. It should be understood that the appeal process in not automatic and the higher Court must be satisfied that there is reason to hear it. In this case that would appear be an improbable outcome.