Najib is in jail — what does this mean for Umno, Opposition coalition?
Umno has yet to appear with a clear commitment against corruption, which could negatively affect its image.
(MMO) – Malaysia’s former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has started serving his 12-year prison sentence, after a Federal Court on Tuesday upheld his guilty verdict.
He was convicted in July 2020 for his role in the multi-billion dollar graft scandal at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which has been dubbed the world’s largest kleptocracy case.
1MDB was said to have suffered more than US$4.5 billion (RM20.2 billion) in losses, with US$700 million allegedly transferred to Najib, who served as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister from April 2009 to May 2018.
The recent court verdict was over criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering charges for illegally receiving about RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. Najib still has four more pending court cases.
With the ruling, questions have arisen about how it will impact the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the political party he led as president from 2009 to 2018.
