Malaysia’s ex-PM Najib faces verdict in his biggest 1MDB trial
The case is among the biggest in the sprawling which has stretched from Singapore to Switzerland
[KUALA LUMPUR] Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, already languishing in jail for his role in the 1MDB scandal, is set for his biggest court verdict yet over the failed fund, with any outcome likely to inflame tensions in the fractious ruling coalition.
Najib, 72, faces a High Court decision on Friday (Dec 26) over 25 corruption and money laundering charges worth roughly RM2.2 billion (S$699 million), days after losing a bid to serve his current sentence at home.
An adverse ruling would diminish the chances of a political comeback for Najib, although he retains significant influence in the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), which has campaigned for his release. Umno’s secretary-general this week said that it may be time to review its support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government after the biggest member of the coalition, the Democratic Action Party, crowed over Najib’s recent legal loss.
“Najib has been a legacy issue, preventing a more cohesive partnership” between Umno-led Barisan Nasional and Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition, said Adib Zalkapli, founder of geopolitical consultancy Viewfinder Global Affairs. “They need to find a way to cut him off before the next general election, if they want to form an electoral pact.”
Anwar has called for calm, but tensions are unlikely to dissipate after Friday’s outcome. Najib’s lawyer has already claimed the former leader had an unfair trial, while a victory for Najib could fuel criticism of Anwar over a slew of legal wins by Umno-linked individuals.
The case is among the biggest in the sprawling, multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, which has stretched from Singapore to Switzerland. Those ensnared in the scandal included a Grammy-winning rapper and a high-profile banker, with global investigations revealing salacious details of Hollywood deals and parties with actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Guilty verdicts on Friday could add decades to Najib’s prison sentence, although he has the right to appeal. Najib has been discharged from two 1MDB-linked cases and was acquitted in another trial, while his wife Rosmah Mansor and Umno chief Zahid Hamidi also scored legal victories in their corruption cases. Zahid is Anwar’s deputy prime minister.
Anwar has denied interfering in the judicial process, stressing that the judiciary operates independently from any external influence.
Still, his government is yet to fulfil its promise to separate the powers of the attorney general and the public prosecutor.
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Najib, whose father was Malaysia’s second prime minister, lost power in 2018 and has been in jail since 2022 for criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in connection with 1MDB. He had his original sentence halved to six years in early 2024 following royal intervention, and is due to be released in 2028.
The next election is not due until early 2028, and Najib technically cannot seek political office for five years after he leaves prison. Still, Anwar himself rose to the nation’s highest office after spending years in jail and receiving a pardon. And Mahathir Mohamad, a two-time Malaysian prime minister, was 92 when he started his second stint in office.
Najib’s lawyer has also said a pardon could pave the way for a return to politics.
“You know Malaysia, anything can happen,” lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said. “Even a dried fish in politics can swim one day.” BLOOMBERG
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