Malaysia's Prime Minister: A Dead Man Walking?
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak (C)
addresses a press conference as newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (L) and Malaysia’s Chief Secretary Ali Hamsa (R)
listen during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s office in
Putrajaya on July 28, 2015, following a cabinet reshuffle. Embattled
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on July 28 replaced his deputy
premier Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been critical of Najib’s handling of
the scandal involving state-owned development company 1Malaysia
Development Berhad (1MDB), and sacked his attorney general amid a furore
over a mushrooming scandal that is threatening his hold on office. AFP
PHOTO / MOHD RASFAN (Photo credit should read MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty
Images)
Malaysia’s Prime Minister
broke a cardinal rule in politics. He inadvertently admitted ‘guilt’
when the Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission cleared him of any wrong
doing in accepting a political donation. His position – vulnerable since
his ascent to premiership – is no longer tenable as Malaysians question
his sincerity and trustworthiness.
On 2 July 2015, the Wall Street Journal alleged that $700 million had gone into a personal bank account of Malaysia’s Prime Minister. The Prime Minister offered a non-denial denial :
As the noose tightened around his neck, the Prime Minister went for broke.
On 2 July 2015, the Wall Street Journal alleged that $700 million had gone into a personal bank account of Malaysia’s Prime Minister. The Prime Minister offered a non-denial denial :
Let me be very clear: I have never taken funds for personal gain as alleged by my political opponents – whether from 1MDB, SRC International or other entities, as these companies have confirmed.The Prime Minister also labelled the report a political sabotage and threatened to sue the Wall Street Journal (more than a month after the allegation was made, at time of publishing this article, the Prime Minister has yet to sue).
As the noose tightened around his neck, the Prime Minister went for broke.
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On 24 July 2015, ‘the government’ announced that The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly that had been reporting extensively on the 1MDB issue were to be suspended for three months.
On 28 July 2015, the prime minister sacked his deputy and four other ministers in a cabinet reshuffle in an effort to strengthen his control of the government and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). With the cabinet reshuffle, the Prime Minister also neutralized the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee that had been vigorously investigating the 1MDB affair. He also removed the attorney-general, who as part of a high-level task force (involving the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Central Bank of Malaysia, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Royal Malaysian Police) was believed to have been preparing to charge the prime minister for corruption.
After pulling off this brazen act skilfully, the Prime Minister blinked.
On 3 August 2015, the ‘MACC’ announced that the $700 million channelled into the Prime Minister’s personal bank account came from donors. In doing this, the Prime Minister inadvertently confirmed the Wall Street Journal’s report and opened Pandora ’s Box .
