Najib saga stains Malaysia's reputation, Anwar's credentials

The explosive decision to grant convicted former Malaysian premier Najib Razak a sentence reduction has hit Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's reformist credentials and dented the country's reputation, analysts said.

- Hazlin Hassan

 

On Feb 2, the Pardons Board that was led by the erstwhile king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, said it had agreed to reduce Najib's 12-year sentence for corruption to six years.

The board, which met on Jan 29, also slashed Najib's court-ordered fine of RM210 million (S$59.5 million) to just RM50 million.

The decision was made "after weighing opinion and advice", it said in a five-sentence statement.

Malaysia's international reputation will be damaged, said Asian Studies professor James Chin of the University of Tasmania. "People will think there is a culture of impunity that once you reach a certain political status, you are more or less protected by the system."

The move would also cause urban supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar's Pakatan Harapan (PH) to question his reform agenda, he added.

This sentiment was echoed by Associate Professor Azmil Tayeb from the School of Social Sciences at University Sains Malaysia. "It will affect Anwar's reformist credentials, especially after campaigning for many years against Najib and his IMDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal," he told The Straits Times.

In his first public comments on the controversial decision, Mr Anwar said: "The King, as a constitutional monarch, consults the Attorney-General, the Prime Minister and many." He added: "I respect the decision of the then King."