KUALA LUMPUR - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was just out of office after a shocking defeat in the general elections, has been banned from leaving the country, the immigration department said Saturday.

The immigration department announced via its social site account that Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor has just been backlisted from leaving the country.

"I was already informed that the immigration department of Malaysia doesn't allow me and my family to foreign countries," Najib said in a tweet moments later, "I respect this instruction and will stay in the country with my family."

In a historic election earlier this week, Najib's Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been in power since Malaysia's independence in 1957, lost to the Pakatan Harapan coalition led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has since taken office as prime minister.