Najib Razak. File photo

 

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for abuse of power and money laundering linked to the 1MDB scandal. A judge found him guilty of four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering, marking another major legal setback for Najib.

 

Najib, aged 72, was accused of syphoning nearly 2.3 billion Malaysian ringgit (approximately 570 million us dollars or 21 billion Thai baht) from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). His conviction follows seven years of legal battles involving 76 witnesses. This latest verdict comes after he was previously jailed in 2020 for related offences involving a separate embezzlement of 42 million ringgit (10 million dollars or 370 million Thai baht).

 

Despite Najib's claims that the funds were a donation from Saudi royalty, the courts rejected the explanation, citing insufficient evidence. His legal team argued that advisers, particularly the fugitive financier Jho Low, misled him. However, Malaysian courts remain unconvinced, highlighting the gravity of the embezzlement.

 

Friday's sentencing includes four 15-year sentences for abuse of power and five years for each of the money laundering charges, all running concurrently. It follows a court decision earlier in the week rejecting his request for house arrest. Supporters gathered outside the court, asserting that biassed judgements had wronged Najib.

The 1MDB scandal's impact stretches back a decade, involving global figures from Hollywood to Goldman Sachs, with losses including Najib's political party. The revelations sparked a historic election defeat in 2018 for Najib's coalition, which had governed Malaysia since independence.

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged political figures to respect judicial rulings, while some officials express concern over the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures. Tony Pua, a former Malaysian lawmaker, noted the verdict underscores that even top leaders can face justice. Yet, Cynthia Gabriel from the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism argued Malaysia still struggles with grand corruption and insufficient institution-strengthening, reported BBC.

 

 

Key Takeaways:

• Najib Razak sentenced to 15 years for 1MDB-linked corruption.
• Concurrent sentences for power abuse and laundering.
• Supporters claim bias; leaders urged to respect the verdict.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-12-27

 

 

 

Got off way too light. Should have been lifetime at hard labor

On 12/27/2025 at 12:06 PM, Emdog said:

Got off way too light. Should have been lifetime at hard labor

 Yes, he is 72, I don't think he will be coming out alive!

Thailand needs to adopt these measures; there are a few ex-PM's that should be joining him

26 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

 Yes, he is 72, I don't think he will be coming out alive!

He will be pardon by the King. 2 years the most that he will spend behind bars. 

Makes out BiB look like amatures 

Thats a huge brown envelope

2 hours ago, Grumpy one said:

Thailand needs to adopt these measures; there are a few ex-PM's that should be joining him

Oh please , have some empathy 

 

3 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Oh please , have some empathy 

 

I'm a bit confused by this.  If those ex-PMs have committed a crime shouldn't they be headed to jail after the relevant processes are followed?  Of course you could be making a sarcastic comment (as a confirmed sarcastic git myself I'm okay with that).

 

There are a few ex-PMs around the world should be in jail too, not just Thailand or Malaysia.

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Hopefully the UK takes note and punishes a soon to be ex PM.