Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct. 30, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (centre), is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 30, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Malaysia’s High Court on Wednesday (October 30, 2024) ordered imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak to enter a defence in his second corruption trial over the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund.

Najib set up the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund shortly after taking power in 2009 to promote economic development, but the fund amassed billions in debt. Investigators allege that more than $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by his associates to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases.

Explained | Najib Razak and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal

The prosecution established its case on four charges of abuse of power to obtain more than $700 million from the fund that went into Najib’s bank accounts between 2011 and 2014, and 21 counts of money-laundering involving the same amount, trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said on Wednesday (October 30, 2024.)

He said evidence showed Najib had a vested interest in 1MDB, and his pivotal role in all relevant transactions that eventually plunged the fund into debt. “Testimony by witnesses also contradicted Najib’s claim that the funds in his bank accounts were a donation from the Saudi Arabia royal family,” the judge said.

Malaysia top court upholds ex-PM Najib Razak’s graft conviction

The court called on Najib to make his defence, with the trial set to resume December 2. Calm in a blue suit throughout the proceedings, Najib (71) told the court he would testify under oath. Defence lawyer Mohamed Shafee Abdullah told reporters that Najib was disappointed with the court ruling.

“We are not giving up and we are going to fight this case,” he added. The 1MDB scandal upended Najib’s government and he was defeated in the 2018 election. He faces a slew of legal cases and started serving time in 2022 after losing his final appeal in his first graft case linked to 1MDB.

Najib’s current trial began in August 2019. It ties him directly to the scandal and involved 50 witnesses testifying over more than 230 days of hearing. On October 24, Najib issued a rare apology for the scandal “under his watch” but reiterated his innocence.

Najib faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of abuse of power and up to five years for each of the money-laundering charges. In addition, Najib still has a pending case involving a criminal breach of trust and another money-laundering trial. His wife Rosmah Mansor and other senior government officials also face corruption charges.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex escorted by prison officers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, April 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Malaysia’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking to serve the rest of his prison term under house arrest, two months after his sentence in a corruption case was reduced by half.

His surprise application said he had “clear information” that then-king Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah issued an order during the January 29 pardon’s board meeting, which cut his 12-year jail sentence by half and sharply reduced a fine, allowing him to finish his sentence under house arrest.

Explained | Najib Razak and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal

Najib asked the court to have the government verify and carry out the order. His application was due to be heard April 4 but was postponed to April 17.

Sultan Abdullah hails from Najib’s hometown of Pahang. He ended his five-year reign on January 30 under Malaysia’s unique rotating monarchy system. A new king took office on Jan. 31.

Najib, 70, has served less than two years of his sentence, supposed to end on Aug. 23, 2028, after his sentence was commuted. He was charged and found guilty in a corruption case linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of state fund 1MDB.

In his application, he accused the pardons board, home minister and the attorney-general among seven entities of concealing the sultan’s order “in bad faith.”

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told reporters later Thursday that he has “no knowledge” of such an order, adding that he wasn’t a member of the pardons board.

The others named in the application couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators allege at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries and financed Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, art and jewelry. More than $700 million landed in Najib’s bank accounts.

The national outrage over the scandal led to the shocking 2018 election defeat of the party that had governed Malaysia since independence. Najib was sentenced in 2020 and two years later, he lost his final appeal in court, becoming the country’s first former premier to be imprisoned.

Despite his conviction, Najib still holds clout in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government that took power after the 2022 elections.

Najib has maintained his innocence, alleging that Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho duped him. Low, thought to be the mastermind of the scandal, remains at large.