The Exit Clause: Inside Anthony Loke’s Performative Cabinet Protest

There is another drama happening simultaneously and it concerns DAP's Anthony Loke, whose departure as Malaysia's Transport Minister now hangs on the exact moment former Prime Minister Najib Razak sets foot inside his home to begin house arrest. 

Actually, he had handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on September 28th. The move was supposedly a direct, high-stakes protest against the conditional royal pardon allowing Najib to transition from Kajang Prison to house arrest. 

By restricting the exit to just his personal post as Transport Minister, Loke registered DAP's profound dissatisfaction with the house arrest decision. 

However, following this intention to step down, he clarified the conditional mechanism of his exit: his quitting would only officially take effect once the legal and financial prerequisites – specifically the payment of Najib's RM50 million penalty – were fully resolved and the deal to transfer him home was executed. 

Ultimately, critics argue that this highly performative exit amounts to nothing more than pure political theater – a calculated maneuver that allows DAP to outwardly appease their core voters while ensuring the party remain comfortably entrenched in the ruling coalition.

🤮🤮🤮🤮

Lockdown Showdown: The AGC vs. The Palace Decree

Drama, drama, drama!!! 

A court order permitting house arrest for former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reached Kajang Prison after UMNO settled his RM50 million fine at the Kuala Lumpur High Court registry. 

Per defense counsel Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, the directive followed a conditional royal pardon finalized Friday morning. 

Shortly after the order arrived, a heavily escorted prison convoy left the prison compound, initially leading observers and media throngs to believe Najib (left) was heading home to begin his house arrest. 

However, Transport Minister Anthony Loke later clarified that Najib was only being escorted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for a previously scheduled dental appointment. 

While Najib was out for treatment, Attorney General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar (right) requested a temporary suspension of the High Court's discharge order to seek legal clarification regarding the remainder of Najib’s prison sentence in the SRC International case, as well as its implications for his ongoing 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.

Consequently, after his clinic visit concluded, Najib was returned straight to Kajang Prison rather than being allowed to go home. 

This whole situation feels less like a legal proceeding and more like a telly drama! With conflicting orders, a sudden dash to the dentist, and the Attorney General stepping in at the final hour, the saga surrounding Najib's release remains a high-stakes cliffhanger. 

Malaysians stay glued for the next dramatic twist in this unresolved legal showdown.

RM50M SRC Fine Still Outstanding

Najib Razak has yet to pay the RM50 million fine imposed on him after being convicted of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power in the SRC International case, according to Malaysia's Attorney-General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar on Sunday. 

As reported by Sinar Harian, the latter stated that the latest information received by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) showed the payment remains outstanding. 

He added that there is no specific deadline for the former Malaysian prime minister to settle the amount. 

When asked whether the convict would have to remain in prison until the fine is paid, the Attorney-General confirmed that this is indeed the case.

Malaysian squash icon and reigning Asian champion Sivasangari Subramaniam delivered a masterclass in dominance to storm into the quarter-finals of the US Open in Philadelphia. 

World No. 4 Sivasangari proved entirely untouchable, dismantling Egypt’s world No. 25 Kenzy Ayman in a ruthless 21-minute, straight-games blitz (11-3, 11-7, 11-3) during Monday's second-round clash. 

This masterclass followed an equally devastating opening-round performance just 24 hours prior, where she dispatched world No. 21 and compatriot Aifa Azman 11-2, 11-4, 11-6 in a mere 22 minutes. 

With back-to-back clinical victories under her belt, the Malaysian powerhouse carries unstoppable momentum into today's high-stakes quarter-final showdown.

A Generational Debt: The Lingering RM20.1 Billion Burden of 1MDB

The Malaysian government's net financial burden from the infamous 1MDB scandal has reached a staggering RM20.1 billion, assuming no further recovery of plundered funds or assets, according to a stark parliamentary written reply issued by the Finance Ministry on Thursday, October 22, 2026. 

This crushing deficit is carved from a colossal RM51.4 billion in total financial obligations, offset only by RM31.3 billion clawed back through global asset recovery efforts. 

This immense RM20.1 billion shortfall stands as a punishing, generational debt unjustly forced onto Malaysian taxpayers, ensuring that Najib Razak’s vile, repugnant, and shameful legacy remains permanently defined by an unforgivable and catastrophic betrayal of public trust.

Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan's late-season resurgence gathered further momentum on Friday as the Malaysians booked a French Open semi-final spot, putting them another step closer to a first back-to-back World Tour title double. 

The world No. 4 pair brushed aside Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva 21-12, 21-15 in 39 minutes to reach their second semi-final in as many weeks. Their victory extended their head-to-head advantage over the Bulgarian sisters to 5-1.

Meanwhile, in Redwood City, California in the USA, Sivasangari Subramaniam marched into the Silicon Valley Squash Open 2026 final after halting Anahat Singh's fairytale run. 

The third-seeded Malaysian star secured her place in the championship decider with a clinical 3-1 victory in a captivating 37-minute semifinal clash. 

India's teenage prodigy entered the match brimming with confidence following a historic upset over eight-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini. The 18-year-old carried that momentum early on, catching Sivasangari off guard to claim the opening game 11-5. 

However, the world No. 4 quickly demonstrated her elite pedigree. Adjusting her tactics and finding her rhythm, Sivasangari turned the tide completely. She dominated the subsequent games with precise shot-making and composure under pressure, shutting down the teenager's challenge 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7. 

This victory marks Sivasangari's second consecutive high-stakes triumph over Anahat, following their recent gold-medal showdown at the Asian Games.

The Anonymous TikTok That Pre-Dated The UM Storm

This builds on what I shared in my posts on Saturday and Sunday.

Nadi Daily reported on Saturday that, even before the Universiti Malaya student sparked controversy by describing the donations to Najib Razak as the "stupidest thing" she had ever watched, another Gen Z youth had already mocked the fundraising drive on TikTok. 

Although available news reports and social media posts did not explicitly identify this individual, the video received an overwhelming response – garnering over 228,600 likes, 62,600 shares, and more than 1,700 comments, according to screenshots obtained. (Note: The high number of likes on the TikTok video showed that the issue attracted the attention of many, although it did not prove that all viewers agreed). 

Fires in Indonesia that have sent toxic smoke and disrupted daily life across Southeast Asia have triggered the highest-level alert by the regional bloc’s meteorological monitor. 

The months-long pollution spell has closed schools, fuelled a surge in respiratory conditions and restricted outdoor activities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Timor Leste. 

The eleven-country organisation’s Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) said in a notice on their website on Friday that they had activated “Alert Level 3 for the Southern Asean region” – the highest rung of a four-tiered alert system. The alert level is triggered when there is a “high risk of severe transboundary haze in the region” and is reserved for widespread moderate to dense smoke haze, observed over two or more consecutive days. 

The ASMC have already issued two Level 3 alerts this year, according to their website. Singapore ranked second on IQAir’s live ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities behind Baghdad on Saturday, with Kuala Lumpur third. All readings showed “very hazardous” levels”. 

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday said they are officially issuing legal "preventive measure notices" to seven specific Indonesian companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) and will take further action where warranted. 

Three of these firms – Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau and SBA Andalas Wood Industries – received similar notices during the 2015 haze crisis. Those cases remain open. 

The other four companies that were issued notices for the ongoing haze are Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, Sumatera Alam Anugerah, Hutan Lestari Raya and Bangkanesia.

Only warnings? Much good that it will do!!

A day earlier, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared that the government have done "everything we possibly can" through official channels. What a joke!! 

What exactly is "everything"? Politely asking our neighbor to stop suffocating us while we shut down hundreds of schools and breathe in toxic air? If "everything" means playing nice while our lungs pay the price, then the strategy is working perfectly!! 

As Bersama's Lee Chean Chung (right) says: "Doing everything we can" is not a policy. Malaysians deserve action, not excuses on the haze".

Corruption Critique Catalyzes Cyberbullying

This is a follow-up to my post yesterday. 

Universiti Malaya student representative Ummi Umairah Bakhit faces intense cyberbullying, online backlash, and alleged disciplinary pressure after criticizing the public fundraising efforts for former Prime Minister Najib Razak. 

Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan played their Denmark Open semi-final match yesterday, where they defeated China's up-and-coming pair Bao Lijing and Cao Zihan 21–16, 21–14 to advance to the final – leaving them just one win away from crowning themselves champions.

GO FINISH THE JOB, GIRLS!!

Speaking Truth to Power: The Najib Fund Backlash

At the International Future Youth Leadership Summit (iFUTURE) 2026 leadership forum on October 15, Universiti Malaya student representative Ummi Umairah Bakhit made headlines by openly criticizing public donations to the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund, calling the crowdfunding effort "the stupidest thing" she had ever witnessed. 

Addressing a high-profile panel that included political leaders like Khairy Jamaluddin and Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, she questioned how Malaysia could foster future leadership when society actively raises money to help a figure convicted in the global 1MDB scandal pay off his court-mandated fines. 

Video of her blunt confrontation went viral overnight, sparking fierce national debate over political feudalism and earning her public backing from Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli, who defended her right to critique authority without fear of university backlash. 

At the Denmark Open women's doubles quarter-finals yesterday, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan vowed to go all the way after reaching their first Denmark Open semi-final. 

The Malaysian world No. 5 fought back to beat India's Treesa Jolly–Gayatri Gopichand 14–21, 21–17, 21–11 in Friday's quarter-finals. 

Their breakthrough ended Malaysia's 18-year wait for a women's doubles semi-finalist at the tournament, following Wong Pei Tty–Chin Eei Hui's title-winning run in 2008.

Court to Decide on Rosmah Mansor's Mareva Injunction in January 2027

Malaysia's High Court fixed January 07, 2027 to hear the Mareva injunction application filed by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and 10 other companies against Najib Razak' spouse, Rosmah Mansor (right). 

Judicial Commissioner Muhammad Adam Edward Abdullah fixed the date during case management here on Monday. The court would also deliver the decision on the application on the same day. 

A Mareva injunction is a temporary court order that stops a defendant from moving or selling their assets before a legal case finishes. 

The application is part of a lawsuit involving luxury goods worth more than $346 million (roughly RM1.6 billion), allegedly using misappropriated funds from 1MDB. 

On Tuesday, Malaysia won all the three matches against Singapore in the Women’s team squash event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. 

Meaning, they finished as the champions of Pool A, earning a direct bye straight into the semi-finals. 

In the second match of the tie, Sivasangari Subramaniam made a strong impact, defeating Au Yeong Wai Yhann in straight games (11-6, 11-6, 11-5). 

The women's singles gold medalist had sat out Monday's 3-0 victory over Macau China, allowing her crucial extra time to recover from her demanding individual final the day before. 

Malaysia is set to face India in the semi-finals tomorrow.

Najib Fund Reaches RM9.25M of RM50M Target

The Najib Razak Solidarity Fund has raised RM9.25 million as of 10:00 AM Sunday, but remains short of its RM50M target, UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed.

He emphasized that continuous efforts are being made to grow the fund. 

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Bar announced on Friday they are filing a new challenge against the second pardon alongside their existing appeal regarding Najib's first pardon reduction, with a Court of Appeal ruling set for January 07, 2027. 👏👏👏

Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan's bid to become the first Malaysian women's doubles pair to reach an Asian Games badminton final ended in the semi-finals today. 

The world No. 5 Malaysians won the first game 21-16 but unfortunately dropped the next two games (20-22, 12-21) to the world No. 1 Chinese pair, Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning. This is their 11th defeat to the Chinese in 14 meetings. 😭😭😭

Pearly-Thinaah will have to be satisfied with the bronze, Malaysia's first women's doubles medal at the Asian Games since Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei in 2014.

Crowdfunding a Conviction

UMNO quickly established a solidarity fund, "Tabung Solidariti Najib Razak", on Friday to help settle the former prime minister's RM50 million fine. 

Settling this reduced amount is a prerequisite for his conditional royal pardon, which allows him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest until August 2028. 

The party's secretary-general announced that collections started strong at RM165,645 in the first hour, surged to RM634,562.02 by the third, and reached RM1 million by 09:30 AM the following day.

Since then, there have been no updates on the amount collected. Just that, it is more than RM1 million.

According to UMNO, the party could potentially raise RM30 million if their estimated 3.8 million members contributed at least RM10 each.

So you know, I'm not questioning this donation drive because it is entirely normal in the Malaysian political landscape; after all, parties like PKR and DAP have historically launched similar solidarity crowdfunding campaigns for their leaders under legal pressure.

Yet, while the mechanism itself is culturally familiar, it highlights a stark and uncomfortable paradox in the eyes of everyday citizens. For many, it underscores a deeply troubling irony, captured perfectly by the public sentiment:

Besides, the real question is:

And because UMNO had circulated their bank account details to solicit donations for Najib, critics have used the opportunity to lob insults at him. 

Screenshots circulating on social media purportedly showed teeny-tiny transfers of merely one or five sen to the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund. 

Bank transfers allow the donor to attach a message to the recipient. This was utilised by detractors to include derogatory comments about Najib. 

Among other things, they used the field to label the recipient, meaning Najib, with the derogatory Malay slang “bapak sakau negara”, roughly meaning “Malaysian father of embezzlement”. 

Other transfers also made references to previous allegations of crimes and offences linked to Najib. 

Some also took it to the next level, by editing a screenshot to claim that they had paid the entire RM50 million to Najib. 

Another even posted an edited screenshot claiming that financier Jho Low had transferred RM51 million to Najib. [Low, accused of involvement in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal alongside Najib, remains a fugitive].

Robbed the Nation, Locked in the Mansion 💰🏰

If you haven't heard yet, the big news about Najib Razak has dropped!  

Following the Friday announcement that the Malaysian King consented to allowing the Malaysian former prime minister (left) to serve his remaining term under house arrest, social media has been flooded with mixed reactions. 

But perhaps nothing captures the raw public sentiment quite like this biting piece of political satire. It is a perfect little social commentary snippet, framed through the brutal, innocent logic of a teen asking their parents a very simple question:

Adakah selepas ini, pesalah2 rasuah boleh membuat permohonan tahanan rumah? 

Anak : Mak/Ayah siapa yg kena tahanan rumah tu? 
Mak/Ayah : Tu bekas PM 
Anak : Apa salahnya dia boleh diberi tahanan rumah? 
Mak/Ayah : (Sambil tersipu2 mahu memberi jawapan yg logik...) Oh ia buat salah 1MDB, rompak duit rakyat... 
Anak : Wow hebat ye Mak/Ayah, perompak boleh ditahan di rumah ye. 
Mak/Ayah : Blurrr... 😏🤒🤕🥴

Note: Of course, house arrest can only happen when the RM50M fine has been paid.

House Arrest for Former PM: Malaysian King Gives Consent 👑

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was granted a conditional royal pardon that allows him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence for grand corruption under house arrest rather than behind bars. 

He will be confined at an unspecified location until August 2028, according to a statement issued by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department following a Pardons Board meeting on Friday. He will also have to pay the previously lessened fine of RM50 million. 

“He has to fulfil all conditions set”, the statement read. “Any breach will void the conditional pardon and he will be immediately sent back to prison”. 

The move by the King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, follows an unusual Pardons Board meeting that was called shortly after the previous summit on September 11 deferred a decision on Najib’s application. 👑

The Pardons Board rarely meets and there is no fixed calendar for a meeting. 

Najib has been in custody since August 2022 after being found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of government company 1Malaysia Development Bhd. 💰💰💰💰💰

The original sentence was for 12 years in jail and a RM210 million fine before the punishment was lessened in 2024 by the previous King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. 👑

Najib was subsequently sentenced to another 15 years’ imprisonment in December 2025 after being convicted for a more serious crime at 1MDB, although he is appealing against the decision. 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰

The sentence is to run after he finishes his SRC jail term in August 2028. 

Three Former Prime Ministers in Court on Same Day

In an unusual day in a Malaysian court, three former prime ministers were at the same court complex to face separate legal proceedings of their own on August 27. 

Najib Razak (6th PM), Muhyiddin Yassin (8th PM) and Ismail Sabri Yaakob (9th PM) were all at the Kompleks Mahkamah Kuala Lumpur in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, drawing attention from the public and the media. 

Najib is in court for the ongoing hearing of a $5.6 billion civil suit filed by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) against him and five other former 1MDB directors while Muhyiddin’s graft trial linked to the Jana Wibawa program is also being heard at the High Court in the same complex. 

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri was charged with “failing to declare assets, including RM14.7 million in cash, millions in various foreign currencies, as well as gold bars”, as reported by the Bernama news outlet. 

He was initially scheduled to be charged last week but the proceedings was postponed due to health complications. 

The sight of three former national leaders in court highlights a dramatic, and often satirized, moment in Malaysian political and judicial history, illustrating a very busy period for the legal system regarding the country's former leadership.

AI Graphic and Out-of-State Voters: The Latest Twist in Johor's Election

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, has lambasted Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming over the DAP leader’s social media post using her image, calling it cheap propaganda. 

Nga’s post uploaded on his official X account Wednesday showed what appeared to be an AI-generated graphic of Rosmah pointing her fingers with text saying, “If you don’t come back, I’ll be back”. 

The graphic is believed to be a message for Johor voters to return to the state and cast their vote tomorrow. 

Tomorrow's election is going to be very interesting because it may be a bellweather for national elections next year!

Shamsul Iskandar Akin's Spook-tacular Stunt

Sadly, Malaysia remains shackled by a legacy of corruption. 

More so, its politics is just as contaminated, stained and tainted. Malaysians know all too well that our system is deeply rooted in systemic "money politics" and high-profile embezzlement scandals. 

Who doesn't know about the corporate mafia issue (highly publicized allegations first reported by Bloomberg on February 11, 2026, concerning a web of businessmen colluding with enforcement officials to launch hostile takeovers of public-listed companies). 

Or the Jana Wibawa government contracts scheme (introduced as a Covid-19 economic stimulus program for Bumiputera contractors that resulted in ongoing corruption and money-laundering trials involving former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and other political figures). 

Or the Littoral Combat Ship scandal (the multi-billion ringgit ⁠defence procurement failure in which substantial public funds were spent but major delivery delays occurred. Severe mismanagement was reported, including "dummy" payments to shell companies, overlapping contracts, and the destruction of records to hide irregularities. Millions in project funds were diverted or misused). 

Or the monumentally infamous 1MDB (the gargantuan global kleptocracy scheme, leading to multiple corruption convictions and the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Najib Razak). 

This is just a very SMALL sample to get me started! 

Actually, I want to vent about something which is, in a way, relatable. I reckon it is the most ludicrous thing that just went down. You can't make this stuff up. Prepare yourselves for a very farcical story...

Keadilan (PKR) member Shamsul Iskandar Akin took a dark approach to campaigning for the Johor state polls (July 11), transporting voters into his macabre version of beyond the veil when he delivered a message talqin-style in hopes it’ll sink in. All very theatrical!

In a video posted on social media on Monday, Shamsul, clad in a white robe (jubah) under sombre lighting and with an echoing voice for the full effect, assured voters not to be afraid when approached by BN, Perikatan Nasional, and Parti Bersama Malaysia as they too are just God's creatures (makhluk Allah jua). 

The former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister not only encouraged voters to accept bribes from those parties, but to squeeze as much as they can, so long as they still vote for Pakatan Harapan come polling day. 

"When you are given RM100, ask for RM500”, he said.

[FYI, he, himself, faces a total of five corruption charges totalling RM241,753.03 linked to businessman Albert Tei (Tei Jiann Cheing)!] 

The video, however, did not go down well with the living. Many netizens and even politicians criticised what they saw as an insensitive take on the Islamic ritual traditionally held at a gravesite after a burial. The absurdity of this politician acting to make it as an election gimmick. A big fail!

He has since deleted the video.

Please, Who Killed Altantuya Shaariibuu?

Two decades, one question – who ordered her killing? 

Two decades after the brutal murder of his daughter, Mongolian national Setev Shaariibuu is still seeking a single, unanswered question: who ordered the two former police officers to kill Altantuya in 2006?

[FYI, Altantuya Shaariibuu, the 28-year-old Mongolian translator and model was murdered in Malaysia in October 2006, her body destroyed with military-grade explosives in Puncak Alam on the outskirts of Shah Alam, Selangor. Convicted in 2015 for the murder were former police officers, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, who were part of then-Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak’s security detail. 

Her execution was linked to allegations of blackmail regarding a 2002 Malaysian submarine purchase, in which Altantuya was reportedly involved in procuring payment. The case drew intense scrutiny due to the involvement of Najib’s bodyguards, though he has consistently denied knowing or meeting Altantuya. 

Azilah and Sirul were convicted of the murder in 2009. Their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2013, but restored by the Federal Court. Both were sentenced to death. Sirul fled to Australia before the final verdict was announced, where he was detained, and extradition was complicated due to laws against the death penalty. As of 2024, the death sentences of the convicted were commuted to prison terms].  

Setev hopes that one day, the answer will come directly from one of those convicted - Azilah Hadri, who is serving a life sentence. 

Reiterating his desire for a “sincere apology”, Setev stressed that his pursuit of the case has never been about financial gain. 

“I am just a person who has been looking for justice for the past 20 years. I am only looking for a sincere apology, one word. I am holding on to the hope that one day, after 20 years, I will hear an apology for admitting the unlawful wrongdoing”, he said. 

Setev made the statement after Malaysia's Court of Appeal fully discharged the government from liability over Altantuya’s death on January 20, 2026. [The panel of three judges, led by Chief Judge of Malaya Hashim Hamzah also reduced the initial court-ordered damages from RM5 million to RM1.4 million payable to the deceased’s family].

Chinese Santa

Move over, Santa! 

Here's the Chinese version and he's merrily sprinkling joy with an extra, extra dose of “nián nián yǒu yú” (年年有余), a popular Chinese New Year blessing meaning "May you have abundance year after year"! 😆😆😆

The "Chinese Santa" is a character based on the Qing dynasty military figure Oboi (鳌拜) and portrayed by actor Xu Jinjiang, who appeared at a tourist resort in Zhanjiang, China this month. The exact date was around mid-December, as the story went viral on social media around December 10-20, 2025. 

The character's appearance was part of a festive Christmas event at the Chikan Guangdong Overseas Chinese International Tourism Resort. 

Oboi, known for his thick white beard and imposing presence, was featured sitting in a sleigh and waving to visitors, creating a unique, local version of Santa Claus that became a pop culture phenomenon online.

My Sunday's post "1MDB Verdict: Najib Razak Is Guilty" pertains. In his verdict on December 26, judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah delivered a damning rejection of the former prime minister's narrative that billions in his account were from an Arab donor. 

At the height of the 1MDB scandal a decade ago, however, this story had many other proponents – some of whom are still holding office in senior government positions. 

Among them is Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. In 2015, Zahid told delegates at an UMNO divisional meeting that he had personally met the chief investment officer and wealth trustee of the Arab royal family allegedly behind the RM2.6 billion donation in Najib’s personal account. 

“When I asked them why they donated $700 million to Malaysia, they said, ‘Malaysia is not the only country we are channelling our money to. There are many more friendly Muslim countries to which we are donating’. They want UMNO and BN to continue ruling the country”. He even claimed to have seen the original documents of the transfer. 

The MACC similarly described the funds as a donation, not from 1MDB. Moreover, Azam Baki told reporters on December 07 that year that their investigators had met with the supposed donor. The MACC chief commissioner at the time was Abu Kassim Mohamed, while Azam was the investigation director at the time and has since taken over the top position. 

The stance was echoed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, who told Parliament in 2016 that the MACC confirmed that the money came from a donation. 

“In the RM2.6 billion case investigation, MACC had confirmed that the funds given to the prime minister personally indeed came from the Saudi royal family, based on testimonies by witnesses and supporting documents. Based on the overall facts and testimonies, the attorney-general was happy that there was no element of crime in these cases”, she said in a written reply. 

Another proponent was former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin. As the UMNO Youth chief at the time, he had argued that the “political donation” into Najib’s account is not a crime and rallied party members to come to Najib’s defence. 

Shouldn't these people be hauled up?!?! 

FYI, the court had dismissed the Arab donation letters presented by Najib’s defence team in his 1MDB trial as “forgeries”. 

“(The) Arab donation narrative is not meritorious. The Arab donation letters were forgeries, and the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the money was, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds. This court has found the Arab donation defence to be incapable of belief and has not succeeded in rebutting the presumption of gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act”, the judge said in delivering his guilty verdict.

1MDB Verdict: Najib Razak Is Guilty

Malaysia’s High Court found former prime minister Najib Razak guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 billion on December 26 in the biggest trial yet in the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. 

Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, the Federal Court judge who previously presided over the trial at the High Court, delivered his judgment after finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. 

Najib’s conviction comes after the court delivered a lengthy judgment, taking nearly four and a half hours to read, following a High Court trial that lasted over 300 days across more than six years. 

Under the four charges of abuse of power, Najib is accused of using his three positions — as prime minister, finance minister and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers — to obtain financial benefits totalling RM2.22 billion for himself. 

Sequerah also convicted Najib on 21 counts related to the alleged laundering of illicit funds through the latter’s personal AmIslamic Bank account. 

For each of the four power abuse charges, Sequerah sentenced Najib to 15 years’ imprisonment and imposed the minimum statutory fine of five times the gratification amount, totalling RM11,387,888,067.05. 

But this does not mean that Najib will have to serve a total of 60 years in jail, as Sequerah said the jail sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time. Meaning, Najib needs to spend only 15 years in prison. 

And should he fail to pay the fine, Sequerah also imposed an additional 10 years’ imprisonment in default for each power abuse charge.

The Friday decision will not affect Najib’s current imprisonment. This is because he is currently serving a jail sentence in a separate case involving the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd. 

Bersih have cautioned that the guilty verdict against Najib should not mark the end of the fight against kleptocracy and corruption.  

In a statement on Friday, the Bersih steering committee said the High Court decision, as well as an earlier guilty verdict in the SRC case, will mean little if the government fail to act to prevent the emergence of new kleptocrats.

Najib Razak To Remain In Kajang Prison

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak (left) failed in his court bid for house arrest on Monday, which means he has to continue serving the rest of his six-year jail term at Kajang Prison. 

High Court judge Alice Loke Yee Ching decided that the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s add-on order for Najib’s house arrest is invalid and cannot be carried out. This is because the Yang di-Pertuan Agong did not follow the requirements under the Federal Constitution’s Article 42 when he made the addendum order (Titah Adendum) for Najib to be placed under house arrest. 

“The addendum order was not deliberated nor decided in the 61st Pardons Board meeting (held on January 29, 2024). There was no compliance with Article 42, consequently it is not a valid order”, the judge said. 

She explained that this means the Malaysian government have no duty to enforce the house arrest order. 

Najib had sought the court verify that an addendum order granting him house arrest, reportedly issued by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah during his last hours as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is real. If it existed, then he wanted the order executed, releasing him from prison. Najib’s prison sentence – which was halved by the Pardons Board last year – is due to end on August 23, 2028. However, he might be eligible for early release on good behaviour in August 2026 after serving two-thirds of his sentence. 

For context, Najib is currently serving a prison sentence after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Immediately after the decision, Najib’s lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the High Court that his client would be appealing against the said decision.

That's not all. On Friday, December 26, in Putrajaya, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah, now elevated to the Federal Court, is scheduled to deliver his verdict in Najib's 1MDB corruption trial, involving four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28 billion in gratification from 1MDB’s funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

Rosmah Mansor Acquitted of 17 Money Laundering, Tax Evasion Charges

Malaysia's High Court today discharged and acquitted Rosmah Mansor (right) of 12 charges of money laundering involving RM7,097,750, as well as five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB). 

 

Judge K Muniandy granted an order of acquittal after allowing the wife of former Prime Minister, Najib Razak's application to have all charges against her quashed. The application was based on the grounds that the charges were illegal and flawed. Note: Rosmah had filed the application to strike out the charges in September 2023.

 

The Attorney-General's Chambers said they intend to file an appeal. 

 

Rosmah was charged in the Sessions Court on October 04, 2018, before the case was transferred to the High Court.

 

 

Liverpool beat Southampton 2-1 in the EFL Cup quarter-finals yesterday. Despite Arne Slot making eight changes to his lineup from the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Fulham. 

 

Darwin Nunez ended his six-game barren run in the 24th minute as he and Harvey Elliott who scored eight minutes later to give the Reds firm control in the first half. The Saints pulled a goal back in the 59th minute.

 

Last season's cup winners join Arsenal and Newcastle in the semi-finals, as will one of Tottenham or Manchester United who face off in the final last-eight tie later today.