Disgraced former Malaysian leader loses bid to end case

Singapore: Corrupt politician Najib Razak, in jail for ripping off the Malaysian people, will need to defend himself against more charges of abusing a sovereign wealth fund when he was prime minister.

A judge in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday ruled the prosecution had presented enough evidence for another case against Najib to proceed through the courts, dashing the hopes of supporters that an apology earlier in the week may have helped his cause.

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak in 2022 after losing his final appeal in a corruption case.Credit: AP

Najib was convicted in 2020 for his role in the looting of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a fund set up in 2009 to promote economic development. Instead of building things, senior officials and Najib’s right-hand man, Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, stole close to $US4.5 billion ($6.9 billion) and spent it on famous artwork, luxury properties and the production company behind The Wolf of Wall Street movie.

Jho Low has forfeited some of his gains but remains a fugitive. Najib’s 12-year sentence in 2022 was controversially halved this year by a pardons board chaired by Malaysia’s outgoing king. Najib may soon be eligible for parole.

The current case centres on allegations from 2018 that Najib, 71, illegally obtained $US524 million of 1MDB funds. Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah found there was a case and that all prosecution witnesses – including former Malaysian central bank governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz – were credible.

Sequerah said Najib, who was allowed to attend court in a suit rather than prison garb, was in a position to exercise control over 1MDB and had been warned multiple times that something could be amiss. If convicted, Najib would face a maximum jail term of 20 years. He said he would defend himself.

Najib apologised in a letter last week for allowing the scandal to unfold while he was prime minister, but denied criminal involvement in the scheme. He also said he didn’t realise money sent to his bank accounts came from 1MDB funds.

“I am still in deep shock knowing now the extent of the wretched and unconscionable shenanigans and illegal things that happened in 1MDB,” he said in the letter read out by his son. “I deeply regret what has taken place.”

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who assumed the job in 2022 promising to be tough on corruption, was criticised for welcoming the apology and appearing to show empathy for Najib’s situation.

With Bloomberg

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