Malaysia activists renew reform calls after ex-PM Najib jailed for 1MDB scandal

By Ashley Tang

Anti-graft activists in Malaysia have renewed calls for sweeping reforms to tackle corruption and prevent a repeat of 1MDB, after former Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted last week over the $4.5 billion scandal at the state fund.

Najib, 72, already serving a six-year jail sentence for graft in an earlier case linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), was found guilty on December 26 of abuse of power and money laundering in the biggest trial he faced over the fund he co-founded while in office.

The High Court sentenced him to an additional 15 years in prison and a record fine of nearly $3 billion. Najib, who has been in prison since 2022, is appealing the ruling. He denies wrongdoing.

While civil society groups welcomed the verdict, many said it raised fresh questions over the independence of Malaysia's institutions and exposed deep structural problems that have not been addressed since the 1MDB scandal was exposed more than a decade ago.

Transparency International Malaysia President Raymon Ram said the verdict represented a chance for the government to implement long-promised institutional reforms.

These include plans to separate the attorney-general's role as the government's top legal adviser and function as public prosecutor, which has often led to conflicts of interest in politically sensitive cases, he said.

"If parliament and the government deliver on core reforms in 2026, Malaysians can begin to believe that integrity is no longer episodic, but embedded. If not, the risk is clear, accountability will remain selective, reforms will stagnate, and public trust will continue to erode," he said.

Malaysia scored 50 out of 100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2024, ranking 57th out of 180 countries, with the score stagnating in the last decade.

The CPI results indicate that while reform language has improved, perceptions of accountability and integrity have not shifted decisively, Ram said.

PM ANWAR REJECTS ACCUSATIONS OF BIAS

The court verdict has stoked tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's ruling alliance over the treatment of Najib, who remains a popular figure within some factions in his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). UMNO has long campaigned against Anwar, but joined his coalition to form a government after the 2022 elections resulted in a hung parliament.

Anwar, who came to power on an anti-graft platform, has also faced a backlash over the slow pace of reforms with some critics accusing him of betraying allies after prosecutors dropped some graft charges against Najib and key UMNO figures.

Anwar said on Tuesday the government was working hard to address governance issues and eliminate graft, though he acknowledged the challenge of stamping out systemic corruption.

"There are still remnants who are trapped in the framework and patterns of the old corrupt culture," he told a press conference, without going into detail.

He rejected accusations of biased prosecutions, highlighting recent anti-graft investigations into senior government officials, including his own political secretary and the country's army chief.

Malaysia's Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), however, said the case of 1MDB highlighted persistent risks, with the prime minister empowered to appoint key officials, including the attorney-general, its anti-corruption agency chief, and the heads of government-linked companies.

C4 founder Cynthia Gabriel urged the government to pass a proposed law regulating political financing, and raised concerns over Anwar's continued alliance with UMNO, ahead of regional polls due in coming months and a national election that must be held by early 2028.

"As the next general election looms... the government is hard-pressed to regain the confidence of its voters and the big question remains of UMNO's future with the current coalition," Gabriel said.