The former prime minister has been in jail since last week to serve a 12-year sentence for embezzling money from a sovereign wealth fund. His wife could be sentenced to 10 years if the sentence is not overturned on appeal. Malaysian public opinion is wondering if this is really an attack on corruption that has been tolerated for so long or political revenge against a very popular but controversial couple.
Kuala Lumpur () – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been behind bars since last week and his wife, the cunning and influential Rosmah Mansor, was also convicted yesterday of corruption. Rosmah, 70, is out on bail pending two appeal rulings; she could be sentenced to jail and a fine equivalent to 216 million euros after an unprecedented scandal and a long and controversial trial. Both spouses were sentenced to 12 and 10 years respectively for corruption.
Najib presided over the Government between 2009 and 2018 and was accused of having diverted large sums of money (700 million euros) from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad sovereign fund to accounts he owned, in a money laundering operation. A disciple of Mahathir Muhammad, who was prime minister several times – and remains, at 97, a central figure in his country’s politics – Najib has always defended himself by denying all accusations.
As for Rosmah Mansor, she would have asked for bribes from a company that turned to her to obtain a multimillion-dollar public contract. Malaysian public opinion and the media are questioning whether these sentences may mark a change of course from a sometimes blatant tolerance of corruption and prevarication or whether, on the contrary, they are part of a game of political revenge. against a very popular but controversial couple, who considered themselves untouchable and did little to hide their influence and interests, although they presented it as a decision “for the good of the country”.
Significantly, the two sentences were announced around August 31, the day that the 65th anniversary of independence from the British was celebrated. In 65 years, Malaysia has grown and over time has been recognized as a reliable partner abroad, as well as one of the leading economies in Southeast Asia and the entire continent.
In contrast to the economic growth and international appreciation for its stability, the political conflict that has characterized it for several years is even more evident, with the erosion and -for limited periods of time- the loss of power of UMNO (Umno (United Malays National Organization), the movement that over time has promoted the development of the Malay Muslim community while also favoring its demographic growth (today 62% of the 30 million Malays are Muslims).This has created or accentuated the contrasts with the ethnic and religious minorities, which have moved to the political level causing difficulties for the UMNO itself and for the Barisan Nasional coalition, of which it is a part.
The main personalities that emerged after independence, including Najib Razak, are the ones who have best known how to coordinate the various pieces of the Malaysian mosaic and balance the different powers (including the different sovereigns of the federated States in relation to the Parliament and the government). But in his case his partisan and personal interests, coupled with the lavish and ostentatious lifestyle of his wife, quickly moved the Malays from admiration to suspicion and finally to hostility. However, some voices already anticipate a royal pardon or some form of rehabilitation for the former head of government.
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