Where will it end? Najib Razak’s 1MDB chickens come home to roost
The 1MDB scandal had haunted the administration of Najib Razak after first coming to light in 2015. Now there is a new sheriff in town, the public is on the edge of its seat as it watches the wheels of justice begin to turn
The late night raid is not a new phenomenon in Malaysian politics. It happened in 1998 to then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. But while that raid stoked the fires of the Reformasi movement, the recent police lockdown of embattled former prime minister Najib Razak’s house saw the electorate rejoicing.
From Malaysia’s ‘first lady’ to ‘bag lady’: why Rosmah Mansor’s vast collection of Hermes Birkins caused a social media storm
During the election that removed Najib and the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, 1MDB was a major talking point for the newly installed Pakatan Harapan government. It hammered the issue when canvassing in a country where cost of living is a big concern for many.
The scandal first came to light when reports emerged that investigators had traced US$680 million from the fund sent to Najib’s private account. Cash from the fund was meant to be spent on infrastructure ventures, but mounting evidence suggested money was being siphoned off for political and personal purposes, including allegedly into Najib and his family’s coffers.
Malaysian PM Mahathir begins big government clean up, but is his ruling coalition in a mess?
As prime minister, Najib agreed to cooperate with an investigation – but only after sacking the attorney general, Abdul Gani Patail. He was subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) claiming the funds he received came from Arab benefactors.
