27-11-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Kuala Lumpur High Court has dismissed corruption charges against former Prime Minister Najib Razak and ex-treasury chief Irwan Serigar Abdullah in connection with the notorious 1MDB scandal, marking a dramatic turn in one of Malaysia’s most high-profile corruption cases.
The charges, involving alleged criminal breach of trust worth RM6.6 billion, were related to settlement agreements between 1Malaysia Development Berhad and Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company. The court granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, citing procedural delays and the prosecution’s failure to produce essential documents.
Legal representative Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, speaking on behalf of Najib, welcomed the court’s decision, stating it aligned with proper legal procedures. The ruling adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing saga of the 1MDB scandal, from which US and Malaysian authorities estimate approximately US$4.5 billion was misappropriated between 2009 and 2014.
Najib, who is currently serving a reduced six-year prison sentence for a separate 1MDB-related conviction, recently issued a public apology regarding the scandal’s mishandling, while maintaining his ignorance of any illegal fund transfers. The former premier, who established 1MDB during his tenure in 2009, was initially sentenced to 12 years before receiving a royal pardon that halved his term.
The dismissal has sparked fresh debate about the government’s commitment to anti-corruption efforts under current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration. Critics have questioned the government’s reform agenda, particularly following prosecutors’ decision not to appeal Najib’s acquittal in another 1MDB case last year.
Adding to the controversy, Najib is currently pursuing legal action to confirm the existence of a royal order that he claims would permit him to serve his remaining sentence under house arrest. The government has announced plans to introduce legislation next year allowing house arrest for certain offences, though it denies any connection to Najib’s case or other politically charged corruption cases.
The case’s dismissal represents a significant shift in Malaysia’s long-running effort to address the 1MDB scandal, which has become synonymous with high-level corruption and financial mismanagement in the Southeast Asian nation.
