On Nov 27, former prime minister Najib Razak won a reprieve in his ongoing legal battles linked to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court granted Najib a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in connection with six criminal breach of trust charges filed in 2018 involving RM6.6 billion (S$2 billion) in payments made from government funds to Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company.
The court cited the long delay and the prosecution's failure to hand over key documents in its judgment.
Although the prosecution retains the option to recharge, the court's decision counts as yet another legal victory for Najib. In 2023, he was acquitted of abusing his power by tampering with an audit report on 1MDB due to the prosecution's failure to meet deadlines to continue its appeal.
The Nov 27 ruling and other recent developments related to the disgraced former prime minister have reinforced the public perception that he is being handled with kid gloves by the Anwar administration.
The contrast is especially stark when compared with the first Pakatan Harapan (PH) government under then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Soon after it took power in 2018 after Najib's election defeat, it promptly filed multiple graft charges against him.
Since his fall from grace, Najib has been convicted of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust, fined, and sentenced to a 12-year jail term. (This was halved early in 2024 by the then Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, as chair of the Pardons Board.)
Najib's legal battles are not over: he is standing trial for two cases in December and April. Yet, the man Malaysia's Court of Appeal once described as "a national embarrassment" remains a key player, skilfully leveraging the unresolved tensions within the political system.
POTENTIAL RELEASE AND POLITICAL COMEBACK
Denne historien er fra December 02, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 02, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
NO SNOW, BUT SANTA'S STILL AT WORK
With a month to go until Christmas, Santa Claus is busy preparing, but he is worried about the warming climate and lack of snow in his Arctic home town.
My Chemical Romance ex-drummer Bob Bryar was active in dog rescue
Bob Bryar, the former drummer of pop-punk band My Chemical Romance, who was with the group from 2004 to 2010, has died at the age of 44.
Lady Gaga to hold free gig at Rio's Copacabana Beach: Sources
Pop star Lady Gaga is set to hold a free concert at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach in May 2025, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, a show expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans.
Taylor Swift fans turn out on Black Friday for vinyl album, new Eras Tour book
Young Taylor Swift fans and their parents lined up outside some of Target's nearly 2,000 stores in America early on Nov 29 - Black Friday - to buy copies of her new Eras Tour book and vinyl album.
K-drama actor Jung Woo-sung apologises after scandal on love child
One of South Korea's top actors apologized after it was revealed he fathered a child with a woman he is not married to, sparking nationwide scrutiny in a country where births outside marriage are still seen as taboo.
Festive vibes with Vivaldi at SSO's choral concert
CONCERT GLORIA!
An exploration of personal identities through dance
As one stepped into the theatre, a dancer was already on stage, performing a short series of movements.
BoA's first solo show harks back to K-pop's roots
The South Korean singer-songwriter's Singapore show was the last stop of her first Asia tour
The myth of an equal marriage
Research has shown that married women continue to do more at home compared with their husbands, so it is time for men to step up
What to do if your child is targeted by a bully
Following recent incidents of school bullying, several parents wrote in to ST to ask for advice on how they can help their children if they are targeted by a bully or bullying someone.
