Malaysia 1MDB scandal: watchdog warns of protests over leniency for Najib and ‘political elite’

Critics have accused PM Anwar of abandoning his reform agenda as anger grows over the reduced sentence for ex-leader Najib for graft linked to the 1MDB scandal

Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 warned it ‘won’t hesitate to mobilise the people to take to the streets’ over the leniency showed to corrupt politicians

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Lawyers for ex-PM Najib Razak say they will submit a fresh application for a full pardon at the ‘right timing’. File photo: Reuters

Published: 2:05pm, 7 Feb 2024Updated: 3:09pm, 7 Feb 2024

Malaysia’s government must account for its role in the reduced sentence given to ex-leader Najib Razak and other corruption-tainted “political elites”, a coalition of civil society groups said on Wednesday, threatening street protests as anger billows out over leniency to corrupt politicians.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing flak over last week’s decision by the country’s pardons board to halve the 12-year jail sentence of disgraced former premier Najib for graft linked to the theft of huge sums of taxpayers’ money from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund.

Najib’s fine was also slashed to 50 million ringgit (US$10.5 million) from 210 million ringgit.

Critics have accused Anwar of abandoning his loudly-trumpeted reform agenda for political expediency – his coalition is stacked with Najib allies.

“The government’s failure to be transparent regarding the advice submitted to the pardons board indicates a disregard for the people’s right to know the truth,” election watchdog Bersih 2.0 said in a statement.

Anwar has said he made sure the pardon’s board received Najib’s application.

The group, which organised mass street protests against Najib while he was in power, said the reduced sentence was just the latest “reward” doled out by Anwar’s administration to “political elites”.