Former M’sia PM Najib Has Not Ruled Out Seeking Re-election to Parliament Within the Next 2 Years

By
Zhi Hao
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It appears that like Trump, former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak does not know when to give up.

So lest you’re unaware, or have forgotten, he was previously found guilty of corruption in 2020, and had been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.

The sentence was meted out for his involvement in a multi-billion dollar scandal.

Yet despite the circumstances, the not-so-elusive politician, who has been keeping up with the times via social media, has not ruled out the plausibility of running for Parliament.

Former M’sia PM Najib Has Not Ruled Out Seeking Re-election to Parliament in the Next 2 Years

Yes folks, Najib’s time within the political circle may not be up yet.

In an interview with Reuters, he refused to rule out re-election to Parliament despite the high odds stacked against him.

Claiming that the charge is a matter of interpretation, he went on to hint at his intent, stating that any active politician would want a seat in Parliament.

And here’s the thing; it’s not entirely impossible to do so.

In spite of a 12-year prison sentence, Najib can still get a seat as long as he gets a pardon or a reprieve from the country’s monarch.

It should also be noted that Najib has denied all wrongdoings, and has since appealed the verdict.

Should the appeal be successful, he can also run for elections once again.

Public Campaign

In addition, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), also known as Najib’s party, had re-secured the premiership last month after three years.

They’re currently intent on regaining public trust.

Meanwhile, Najib is also on a mission of his own, as he seeks to rebuild his image as a man of the people.

He also remains a stellar figure on social media, as he continuously digs at the flaws of past governments.

Despite speculations that he could garner a role as an economic adviser, Najib has stated that he’s prioritising the act of clearing his name.

Scandal

Earlier last year, Najib was found guilty of seven charges that include abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust.

The charges are for:

  • one count of abuse of power
  • three counts of criminal breach of trust
  • three counts of money laundering regarding the misappropriation of RM42 million (S$13.6 million) from SRC International

He was ordered to serve 12 years in prison and settle a S$68 million fine. If he can’t pay the fine, an additional 5-year jail will be served instead.

It should be noted that this was just the first of five trials.

After all, Malaysia’s former prime minister isn’t facing just seven charges.

He’s facing 42 counts of corruption, abuse of power and money laundering across five different court cases.

US authorities alleged that over US$4.5 billion (S$6.2 billion) was embezzled from the state fund, 1MDB, and spent to purchase yachts, paintings and high-end properties across the world.

Thus far, more than US$1 billion in funds have been returned.

Learn more about Malaysia’s politics here:

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Featured Image: Facebook (Najib Razak)

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]