1MDB scam case, former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s jail sentence reduced to half

Malaysia on Friday halved the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was convicted of corruption and money laundering related to the billion-dollar 1MDB scam, in a move that underlined Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s commitment to fighting corruption. More questions are expected to arise. Anwar campaigned on an anti-corruption platform but joined forces with Najib’s corruption-tainted party, the United National Malay Organization (UMNO), to form a government in November 2022 after an election that ended in a hung parliament.

Najib’s sentence reduction comes amid allegations that the Anwar administration is backtracking on reforms after several corruption cases involving Najib and other UMNO leaders were dropped last year. Najib, who began serving a 12-year prison sentence in August 2022, will be released in 2028 and the fine imposed on him will be reduced from 210 million ringgit to 50 million ringgit (US$10.59 million), according to a statement from Malaysia’s pardon secretariat. will be given.

The board, chaired by Malaysia’s king, did not give any reason for halving Najib’s sentence. It added that if Najib failed to pay the ordered fine, an additional one year would be added to his prison sentence. Representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office and Najib did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Najib was convicted of corruption involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), from which American and Malaysian investigators estimate US$4.5 billion was stolen and more than $1 billion in accounts linked to the former prime minister. Were sent.