Dato' SeriThe Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Mohd. Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (born July 23, 1953) is the sixth and current
Prime Minister of MalaysiaThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
. He previously held the post of
Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime Minister of Malaysia is the second highest political post in Malaysia. Malaysia has so far ten persons appointed to the post...
from January 7, 2004 until he succeeded
Tun Abdullah Ahmad BadawiTun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
as Prime Minister on April 3, 2009. Najib is a member of the
United Malays National OrganisationThe United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, , is a right-wing party and Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence...
(UMNO), and is currently the President of UMNO. He is also the son of Malaysia's second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak.
Personal life
Born July 23, 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Najib is the eldest of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister Abdul Razak's six sons, and the nephew of Hussein Onn, Malaysia’s third Prime Minister. Najib’s five brothers are named Nizam, Nazim, Nazir, Nazri Aziz and Johari. His younger brother, Dato' Seri Mohd Nazir Abdul Razak, runs the country's second-largest lender,
Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd.Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Berhad is the listed vehicle for CIMB Group, Malaysia’s second largest financial services group. It has been listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia, the nation’s stock exchange since 1987...
Najib is also one of the Four Noblemen of the Pahang Darul Makmur (Royal Court) by virtue of his inherited title as the Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar.
In 1976 he married Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar ('Ku Yie') with whom he had three children: Mohd Nizar Najib (born 1978), Mohd Nazifuddin Najib and Puteri Norlisa Najib. In 1987 he divorced Ku Yie and married Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor with whom he had two children: Mohd Norashman Najib and Nooryana Najwa Najib.
Najib was born in
Kuala LipisKuala Lipis is a small town in Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. It is located in the district of Lipis.-History:Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining center before the British arrived in 1887. In 1898 it became the capital of Pahang until 1953....
,
PahangPahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
, and he received his primary and secondary education at
St. John's Institution, Kuala LumpurSt John's Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
. He later attended
Malvern CollegeMalvern College is a coeducational British Public or independent school, founded in 1865. It is located in Malvern, Worcestershire.The Good Schools Guide called the school a "Traditional co-ed rural public school with a surprising number of aces up its sleeve."- History :The school opened in...
in
WorcestershireWorcestershire or ; abbreviated Worcs) is a historic and administrative county located in the West Midlands region of central England. In 1974 it was merged with the county of Herefordshire to form the single administrative county of Hereford and Worcester; which was divided in 1998,...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and subsequently attended the
University of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university in the city of Nottingham, England, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
, where he received a
bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in
industrial economicsIndustrial organization is a field of economics that studies the strategic behavior of firms, the structure of markets and their interactions. The study of industrial organization adds to the perfectly competitive model real-world frictions such as limited information, transaction cost, cost of...
in 1974.Returning to Malaysia in 1974, he entered the corporate world, serving briefly in Bank Negara (Central Bank) and later with Petronas (the national petroleum corporation) as a Public Affairs Manager.
UMNO
Najib was first elected to the
Member of ParliamentThe Dewan Rakyat or House of Representatives is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
in 1976, representing the parliamentary constituency of
PekanLocated on the banks of the Pahang River 50 km south of Kuantan, Pekan is the royal town of the Malaysian state of Pahang Darul Makmur. Its name comes from a flower, the Bunga Pekan. Pekan is also the name of the district the town is situated in, and a parliamentary constituency in its own right...
in an uncontested election after the death of his father. At the age of 23, Najib was also the youngest member of parliament to be elected.
Within the ranks of UMNO, Najib was first appointed as the head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and as a member of UMNO Youth's Executive Council (Exco) in 1976. Beginning 1981, he was selected as a member of UMNO's Supreme Council, before winning the post of vice president of UMNO Youth in 1982.
In 1987, Najib was announced as the Acting Leader of Movement of UMNO Youth by
Dato' Seri Anwar IbrahimDato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, he became a protégé of the Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's administration.In 1999,...
after Anwar was asked to contest for the post of Vice President of UMNO. Following the complete reorganisation and founding of the "New" UMNO by
Tun Dr. Mahathir MohamadTun Mahathir bin Mohamad is a retired Malaysian political figure. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. During his term in office, he was...
in the aftermath of the
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisisThe 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation general election in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal of the Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas, from his seat...
, Najib was appointed president of UMNO Youth in 1988.
By 1993, Najib was elected as one of six
vice presidentA vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
s of UMNO in response to Anwar's decision to contest as the
deputyDeputy is a rank or title, or part of a title, used in various organizations with a codified command structure. It often designates someone who is "second-in-command," and as such, may precede the name of the rank directly above it. For example, a "Deputy Master" is likely to be...
president of UMNO. Najib continued to defend his post in party elections held in 1993, 1996 and 2000. In 2004 he won the election unopposed and stressed the extent of responsibilities this post represented.
On March 26 2009, Najib won the UMNO presidency unopposed. UMNO permanent chairman Onn Ismail made the declaration at the outset of the 2009 UMNO General Assembly at the Dewan Merdeka,
Putra World Trade CentrePutra World Trade Centre is a main convention and exhibition centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Construction commenced in 1981 and was completed in 1984. The building was officially opened on 2 September 1985 by the then Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad during the first UMNO...
(PWTC).
Early career in Cabinet
Throughout his political career, Najib held a variety of ministerial portfolios (the first at the age of 32), culminating in the post of Minister of Defence before being chosen as the Deputy Prime Minister by then
Tun Abdullah Ahmad BadawiTun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
. Najib was first assigned into the
Cabinet of MalaysiaThe Cabinet of Malaysia is the executive branch of Malaysia's government. Led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable to the Parliament. According to the Article 43 of the Constitution, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members of either...
at the age of 25 when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Post in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy minister in the country.
Najib would go on to assume myriad posts in the Cabinet, including the
Deputy Minister of EducationThe Ministry of Education is a Government ministry responsible for Malaysian educational matters. The current minister is Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia....
, the Deputy Minister of Finance, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (and its split successor, the Minister of Youth and Sports), the
Minister of EducationThe Ministry of Education is a Government ministry responsible for Malaysian educational matters. The current minister is Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia....
, the Minister of Defense, and the Minister of Finance beginning September 17, 2008.
In addition to positions held in the federal government, Najib served as the Menteri Besar (Chief Executive) of Pahang between 1982 and 1986, becoming the youngest Menteri Besar in the state to enter office when he was sworn in at the age of 29. Najib was also appointed chairman of the Livestock Development Institute (Lembaga Kemajuan Penternakan, Majuternak). During the 1986 general elections, Najib was returned as the Member of Parliament for Pekan, and was appointed as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. He immediately focused on improving Malaysian sports and introduced the National Sports Policy in 1988. In 1989 Malaysia achieved its best-ever performance at the South East Asia (SEA) Games, which were held that year in Kuala Lumpur.
Minister of Defence
In 1991, Najib was appointed Minister of Defense. He was seen as revitalizing a Ministry that needed modernization.Under his direction, Malaysian troops were deployed to assist the UN peacekeeping force in Bosnia in 1993. Malay forces were greeted warmly by Bosnians as well as Serbs and Croats. Malaysia also assisted peacekeeping operations in Somalia in 1993, losing one military personnel in an effort to aid U.S. soldiers during the Battle of Mogadishu. Najib later criticized the UN’s Somalia operation as putting too much emphasis on military action. Since then Malaysia has stated a preference for participating in Chapter 6 “peace enforcement” missions, rather than Chapter 7 “peacekeeping” missions. After four years at the Ministry of Defense, Najib assumed control of the Education Ministry in 1995. He returned to the Ministry of Defense in 2000.
During his second tenure as Minister of Defense, Dato’ Sri Najib coordinated Malaysia’s humanitarian relief efforts following the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, and provided support to Indonesia in arresting those responsible for the 2004 Bali bombings. Najib also oversaw the deployment of Malaysian troops as a part of a UN peacekeeping force in 2006, when Malaysia volunteered to help maintain peace in Lebanon following the 2006 Lebanon War.
Malaysian National Service
As Defense Minister, Najib instituted a compulsory military service program in December 2003, stating that it would encourage intersian action and friendship between youth of different races, religions, and ethnic groups and address concerns that the country’s various cultures were becoming increasingly isolated from one another.
During its first five years of operation, over 339,000 Malaysian youth participated in PLKN, whose programme is intended to promote the principles of tolerance, team work, and community engagement. The programme, however, has faced administrative challenges. Some facilities have been reported as substandard, there have been instances of food poisoning, and service avoidance continues to be an issue. During its first five years of operation, 16 participants died during, or shortly after, their term of service. In response, Najib strengthened PLKN health screening requirements and reinforced government’s commitment to impose sanctions against anyone found negligent in running the programme. In 2008, after 13 years in total serving as Minister of Defense, Najib left that portfolio to manage the Ministry of Finance.
The
Malaysian National ServiceThe National Service Training Programme, or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara , is Malaysia's national service program. The conscripts are 17-year-old youths that are selectively drafted...
,the brainchild of Najib Razak, has been beset by problems since its inception. As of May 2008, there have unfortunately been 16 deaths in the Malaysian National Service. Earlier in 2007, when queried by the press on these deaths, Najib was quoted as saying that the 14 children have died at their homes during NS holidays except for 2 who died from drowning, in an attempt to placate worried Malaysian parents. When recently pressured by more calls to suspend the program due to the deaths, Najib responded that it was not feasible to stop the program since the benefits of the program outweighs the disadvantages. It was reported that nine out of 89 camps in Malaysia will be closed in 2009 after these camps were found to have failed hygiene standards and the camp infrastructure was not properly maintained.
Minister of Education
In 1995, Najib left the Defense Ministry for the first time when he was appointed Minister of Education. His challenge was to respond to Malaysia's newly proclaimed aspiration to become a fully developed nation by the year 2020. During his five-year tenure, Najib restructured the Ministry, created an independent corporate structure for the public universities, and encouraged collaboration with foreign universities and institutions. This was accomplished through the 1996 Private Higher Education Institutions Act, which for the first time allowed foreign universities to establish degree-conferring schools in Malaysia, providing greater educational opportunities for Malaysians and positioning Malaysia as a regional learning hub. Najib also upgraded teaching certificates to the status of diplomas, so that teachers in that category would receive a higher monthly starting salary.
Minister of Finance
In September 2008, Najib traded portfolios with Abdullah Badawi, the Prime Minister, and assumed control of the Ministry of Finance. In the midst of the global financial crisis, Malaysia was faced with an international recession and reduced levels of trade throughout the South Asian region. In response, Najib announced a series of stimulus packages to be implemented over a two year period with the intention of acting as a
countercyclicalCountercyclical is a term used in economics to describe how an economic quantity is related to economic fluctuations. It is the opposite of procyclical. However, it has more than one meaning.-Meaning in policy making:...
response that would cushion Malaysia’s economy. He also pressed for the country to move beyond existing manufacturing capabilities through education, research and development to develop greater strength as a provider of sophisticated business services.
Deputy Prime Minister
Upon his appointment in 2004 as Deputy Prime Minister, Najib was given a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including oversight of FELDA, the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), and the Election Commission. Najib also chaired more than 28 cabinet committees, which preside over a wide range of issues.
On January 29, 2008, Najib also took over as Perak UMNO liaison committee chairman and state Barisan Nasional chairman, replacing former
Perak Menteri BesarThis is a list of the Menteri Besar of the State of Perak, Malaysia.-2009 Perak constitutional crisis:The Perak constitutional crisis is a political dispute involving the legitimacy of the Perak state government...
Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali who resigned from the posts.
Succession Issues
After poor election results for the UMNO ruling coalition on March 8, 2008 in which opposition parties gained control of five of thirteen Malaysian state governments, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi identified Deputy Prime Minister Najib as his intended successor in line with the ruling party's tradition of political succession. On October 8, 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi announced he would step down in March 2009, paving the way for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to succeed him. However he said the onus was on Najib to win party elections set for March before he could take over. Najib ran for the presidency of UMNO and went on to win on November 2, 2008, without contest.
In many of the controversies about him, the then
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
Tun Abdullah Abdullah BadawiTun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
identified Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak on 6 April 2008 as his probable successor in line with the ruling party's tradition of political succession. . Even former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad predicted that Abdullah will never allow Najib to take over as Prime Minister. He said that although Badawi promises that Najib would succeed him by 2010, allegations would be hurled against the deputy prime minister before then to show up his inability to take over.
Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) report was lodged by veteran UMNO member Mazlan Harun, whose father was imprisoned for 10 years for corruption by Najib's maternal uncle of the second
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
Tun Hussein Onn, in August against Najib and the then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi for alleged abuse of power. Mazlan had said the report was based on a letter written by then Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division head Kapt (R) Datuk Zahar Hashim who wasn't chosen as candidate for the last general elections which accused the two of "political corruption of the highest order." Ironically, both Mazlan and Zahar has been convicted before for corruption and wealth obtained by unexplained means. In the letter addressed to the Umno secretary-general, Zahar said the two top leaders had been campaigning to defend their positions despite asking others not to do the same, adding their actions had violated guidelines issued by party headquarters.
Criticism
The former de facto law minister
Zaid IbrahimDatuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim is a prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician and is a former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform. He is also a Senator in the Dewan Negara, the upper chamber of the Parliament of Malaysia.He was a member of the...
has urged the
Yang di-Pertuan AgongThe Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the highest-ranking office created by the constitution of the federation of Malaysia. The office was first established at independence in 1957. In accordance with the constitution, the holder of this office is "the Supreme Head of the Federation" and as such is...
not appoint Najib as
Prime Minister of MalaysiaThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
, and instead appoint someone else from UMNO. He pointed out Najib has been linked on the internet and by political rivals to the brutal murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. Zaid also cited the RM400 million in commissions reportedly paid by the Defence Ministry while Najib was minister for the procurement of submarines, and pointed out that Abdul Razak Baginda, Najib's friend, was an agent in the deal. This was after Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the former
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
also said that Najib did not shine as a deputy prime minister and stated that Najib carried a lot of baggage into the Prime Minister's job.
UMNO statesman
Tengku Razaleigh HamzahTan Sri Tengku Razaleigh bin Hamzah is a major Malaysian political figure from the state of Kelantan, and a former Finance Minister. He is an uncle of the current Raja Perempuan of Kelantan. Tengku is a Malay title usually translated as prince...
stated that as the PM-in waiting Najib should take the witness stand to clear his name or take legal action against the growing number of foreign publications linking him with the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu and the purchase of submarines.
Prime Minister
Najib became the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia on 3 April 2009. His cabinet has 28 members, which is slightly smaller than his predecessor's 32 member cabinet.
First 100 Days
Najib entered office with a clear focus on domestic economic issues and long-standing political reform questions. On his first day as Prime Minister, Najib announced as his first actions the removal of bans on two opposition newspapers, Suara Keadilan and Harakahdaily, run by the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim-led People's Justice Party and the Pan Islamic Party, respectively, and the release of 13 people held under the Internal Security Act. He pledged to conduct a
comprehensive review of the much-criticized law which allows for indefinite detention without trial. In the speech, he emphasized his commitment to tackling poverty, restructuring Malaysian society, expanding access to quality education for all, and promoting renewed “passion for public service.” In a speech given to the media on April 6, 2009, Najib stated that Malaysia must establish “a new national discourse,” based on the principles of “transparency and accountability”; “service to all”; and “respect and fairness in the public dialogue”, in which “world-class, fact based reporting” including the new media led to better governance through “vibrant public dialogue.”
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has expressed disappointment that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Cabinet appointments include several unsavoury characters, which negated any desire to rid Umno of blatantly corrupt politicians.
1Malaysia
On September 17, 2008, Najib launched his personal website at www.1Malaysia.com.my in an effort to increase communication with the people. As Prime Minister, he has used the site as a communications portal to highlight his political and policy initiatives and to provide a location to solicit the opinions and policy goals of any Malaysians who choose to take part in the site. While Najib has personally emphasized the meaning of 1Malaysia as an effort to unify that which is common to all Malaysians, during the initial days of his new government, the 1Malaysia concept has become subject to a broad range of interpretations and discussion, both by those in favor of and opposed to particular government policies, and involving different elements of Malaysia’s major ethnic groups.
Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said that Malaysians should evaluate 1Malaysia against issues such as the
constitutional failure in PerakThe 2009 Perak constitutional crisis is a political dispute involving the legitimacy of the state government of Perak state in Malaysia. It began with the announcement by Barisan Nasional's Nasaruddin Hashim of his desire to cross the floor to Pakatan Rakyat...
and the corruption involved in the
Port Klang Free ZonePort Klang Free Zone is a ' and integrated free zone and industrial zone providing integrated commercial and industrial zone. It offers facilities for international cargo distribution , regional distribution and manufacturing parks for product fabrication. It is located along the Straits of...
project.
Political Developments
Najib’s first significant political crisis as Prime Minister erupted after three months of escalating legal and political disputes came to a head in May 2009 over
control of the governmentThe 2009 Perak constitutional crisis is a political dispute involving the legitimacy of the state government of Perak state in Malaysia. It began with the announcement by Barisan Nasional's Nasaruddin Hashim of his desire to cross the floor to Pakatan Rakyat...
of the state of
PerakPerak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.Perak means silver in...
, the second-largest state in peninsula Malaysia. The dispute involving the legitimacy of the state government began with the announcement by a
Barisan NasionalBarisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance , it has been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence...
politician to change parties to the opposition
Pakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat or PR was established on April 1, 2008. The political coalition comprises a group of Malaysian political parties, namely, the People's Justice Party , Democratic Action Party , and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party , who collectively worked together as the Barisan Rakyat during the 12th...
. He then returned to Barisan Nasional, together with three Pakatan Rakyat representatives who agreed to now shift their votes to Barisan, in a deal said to have been brokered by Najib when he was Deputy Prime Minister. After the Sultan of Perak dismissed the Pakatan Rakyat government in favour of a new Barisan administration, a constitutional crisis developed, which included dozens of arrests of Pakatan political figures over the course of their efforts to prevent the seating of a new Barisan-led government in Perak. . On May 11, 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Sultan was not constitutionally permitted to dismiss the previous government. On May 22, 2009, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court decision, and confirmed that Barisan should remain in power, prompting the promise of further appeals by Pakatan.
While the Perak crisis reflected a struggle over control at the state level, opposition figures focused on Najib’s alleged role in securing the defections from Pakatan, and demanded new elections in the state. In turn, Najib stated his position that Malaysia’s political system required rule of law to be followed, and that judicial decisions would determine the outcome of the Perak crisis, which should be based on existing laws and regulations.
Controversies
Over a period of two decades, Najib has become the subject of two principal types of controversies. First, he has been criticized for alleged (and disputed) statements involving promoting Malay or Islamic interests over non-Malay and secular ones. Second, he has been accused by opposition leaders, and by journalists and bloggers, of acts of corruption in connection with his term as Defense Minister. Since 2006 he has also been accused by the opposition of involvement in connection with the death of a Mongolian woman killed by two police officers employed as security personnel for senior Malaysian government officials. Najib has contended that his statements relating to ethnic and religious issues have been exaggerated or taken out of context. He has denied all of the corruption allegations, describing them as fabrications by opposition forces. He has vehemently denied having any contact with the Mongolian woman, and denied opposition allegations that he undertook any action to influence the investigations following her death.
Ethnic and Religious Controversies
1987 Kampung Baru rally
In the midst of
UMNO's internal crisis in 1987The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation general election in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal of the Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas, from his seat...
, a rally by UMNO Youth led by Naijb was held in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Anti-Chinese sentiments were expressed openly during the rally with placard carrying slogans like "
May 13The May 13 Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay race riots in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, which began on May 13, 1969...
has begun". Allegedly, in a speech Najib vowed to bathe the keris with Chinese blood. The keris is a traditional Malay weapon that is often used as a symbol for Malay nationalism. This precipitated existing ethnic tensions leading to fears of a repeat of inter-ethnic violence and eventually resulted in a security operation known as Operasi Lalang, where
administrative detentionAdministrative detention is arrest and detention of individuals by the state without trial, usually for security reasons. A large number of countries , both democratic and undemocratic, resort to administrative detention as a means to combat terrorism, control illegal immigration, or to protect the...
s were made on scores of individuals . Contrary to this opinion, Najib has tried hard to build ethnic unity in Malaysia. In a speech in April 2009, Najib congratulated Malaysian Chinese of playing an important role in the development of Malaysia. In another move in June 2009, Najib has overturned a rule that gives Malays a 30% ownership rule in companies, and allowed non-ethnic Malays, like the Chinese and the Indians to exercise more financial control in Malaysia. Najib has also extended a hand to Singapore which is seen by many, including former PM Mahathir, as Chinese-dominated, to encourage it to invest more heavily in the Malaysian economy.
UMNO was also declared illegal in early 1988, allowing the then Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to consolidate his power with the establishment of a new party that assumed the name of the previously banned UMNO. The newly formed party excluded those who had previously challenged Mahathir's authority within the party.
Malaysia's relationship to Islam
In August 2007, at a conference on the role of Islamic states in a globalised world, Najib declared that Malaysia has "never been secular because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles of in the way we govern the country." Najib said Malaysia did not want to be stereotyped with the Western definitions of a secular and a non-secular state, but rather, would apply the fundamentals of Islam to its governance, even as it protected the rights of those with other religions.
Najib's comments subsequently sparked a heated public debate which led to a number of Malaysia’s political parties expressing a wide variety of views on Malaysia's position as an Islamic state, secular state, or secular state in which Islam plays a special role. The Opposition member PAS of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition responded to Najib’s comments by demanding an immediate implementation of Hudud laws and separating males with females and Muslims from non-Muslims at public places, actions which Najib opposed.
Corruption Allegations
The Malaysian opposition has repeatedly accused Najib of corruption. For example, in September 2007, they asserted that he was involved in the alleged payment of commissions to close associates for the purchases of two Scorpene submarines and 18 Sukhoi fighter jets, but produced no evidence to date to back up these assertions. Similar allegations were made against Najib by the opposition and covered by journalists reporting opposition allegations in connection with the purchase by Malaysia of French submarines.
Opposition leaders and a political blog affiliated with the opposition, Malaysia Today, sought investigations of Najib for his involvement in a procurement involving 12 helicopters that they contend involved kick-backs, claiming that the Defence Ministry overpaid more than RM1.4 million for an award to Eurocopter for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Following the report by the blog, on October 14, 2008 Anwar called for an investigation into the Eurocopter deal and an alleged abuse of power by Najib. Anwar’s request was followed ten days later with the opposition Pakatan Rakyat Youth wings formally lodging a report against Najib the Anti-Corruption Agency for alleged involvement in the RM2.3 billion Eurocopter deal. They submitted information stating that Malaysia was reported to have signed a letter of intent to acquire 12 Eurocopter EC725 Cougar helicopters for the sum of RM2.3 billion while Brazil paid US$1.2 billion for 50 units of the same model. A Malaysian parliamentary panel, The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), composed of government and opposition lawmakers, investigated, and cleared the government of any wrongdoing, finding the transaction properly followed Malaysia’s procurement procedures.
Eurocopter deal
Malaysia Today posted an article entitled "Eurocopter" featuring a letter purportedly from a businessman Datuk Zahar Hashim, the chairman of Mentari Services Sdn Bhd, the local representatives for a Russian helicopter, who lost his bid through international tender with a series of allegations. The letter alleges irregularities in the recent award to Eurocopter for the supply of 12 new aircraft to replace the ageing Sikorsky S-61A-4 "Nuri" fleet of the
Royal Malaysian Air ForceThe Royal Malaysian Air Force was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Malayan Air Force . However, its roots could be traced to the Malayan Auxiliary AF formations of the British Royal Air Force in then colonial Malaya...
. The letter claims the award was given to Eurocopter even though it was the most expensive of all the companies which submitted tenders. It was claimed that Eurocopter's bid was more than RM1.4 billion over that of the lowest bidder and that there was no proper evaluation done by the Defense Ministry. A purported Letter of Intent was signed by a mid-ranking officer in the ministry (which was later exposed as unfounded) just two days before Najib switched portfolios and moved from the Defense Ministry to the Finance Ministry. Datuk Zahar has since faced a tribunal of judges and was expelled form his party UMNO. He has since joined the Pan Islamic Party (PAS). He is now under investigation for misappropriation and abuse of party funds when he was in UMNO. Among the allegations was that he registered the party building with party funds under his personal name.
On 24 October 2008, the opposition
Pakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat or PR was established on April 1, 2008. The political coalition comprises a group of Malaysian political parties, namely, the People's Justice Party , Democratic Action Party , and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party , who collectively worked together as the Barisan Rakyat during the 12th...
Youth wings lodged a report at the Anti-Corruption Agency against Najib for alleged involvement in the RM2.3 billion Eurocopter helicopter deal. They submitted alleged evidence which showed that Malaysia was reported to have signed a letter of intent to acquire 12 Eurocopter EC 727 Cougar helicopters for a sum of RM2.3 billion while Brazil paid US$1.2 billion for 50 units of the same model which was found to be of a much lower specifications.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, Datuk Abu Bakar Abdullah, stated that the price offered by Eurocopter in the tender to replace the Nuri aircraft was through an international open tender which opened on November 7, 2007.
Scorpene Submarines and Sukhoi Fighters
The second controversial purchase brokered by Najib was the purchase of
SukhoiSukhoi is a major Russian aircraft manufacturer famous for its fighters. Founded by Pavel Sukhoi in 1939 as the Sukhoi Design Bureau , it is currently known as Sukhoi Corporation...
fighter planes. The deal, worth US$900 million (RM3.2 billion), was through a Russian state company, Federal State Unitary Enterprise 'Rosoboronexport' on May 19, 2003. A company called IMT Defence Sdn. Bhd. was appointed the local agent for the Russian company and received 12 percent of the purchase price, US$108 million (RM380 million). The principal figure and chairman of IMT Defence is Mohamad Adib Adam, the former chief minister of Malacca, the previous Land and Development Minister and a longtime UMNO stalwart. The involvement of IMT Defence only became known because in March 2005, a former director of IMT, Mohamad Zainuri Mohamad Idrus, filed suit against several Adib-related companies, alleging that Adib and his sister, Askiah Adam wanted to prevent him from exposing the Sukhoi deal. In 2006, Mohamad Zainuri lodged a police report alleging that Adib had stolen the US$108 million commission that was supposed to be channeled to the company while Najib was the Defence Minister.
The Malaysian opposition has also accused Najib of involvement in the alleged payment of large commissions to close associates for the purchases of two Scorpene submarines and 18 Sukhoi fighter jets. Sekretariat Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) recently lodged a police report with allegations tying Najib Razak for corruption and the ongoing trial of Razak Baginda of the murder of Altantuya, who were one of the alleged beneficiaries of the large commissions. Altantuya’s father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev has demanded that Najib take full responsibility for his daughter’s death. He has claimed that Altantuya had died while working as a translator in a secret deal to help the Malaysian government buy French submarines worth billions of Euros when Najib was Defence Minister. Dr Shaaribu highlighted two reports saying that Najib’s aide-de-camp, Musa Safri, had ordered two policemen to “deal with Altantuya” when she had approached her lover over her share of commissions.
Patrol Boats
In late 2007, Malaysia's Auditor General tabled a report in Parliament alleging that a contract to build naval vessels given to PSC-Naval Dockyard, a subsidiary of Penang Shipbuilding & Construction Sdn Bhd, owned by an UMNO crony, Amin Shah Omar Shah was in serious trouble. PSC-Naval Dockyard was contracted to deliver six patrol boats for the Malaysian Navy in 2004 and complete the delivery by last April 2008. Those were supposed to be the first of 27 offshore vessels ultimately to cost RM24 billion plus the right to maintain and repair all of the country's naval craft. But only two of the barely operational patrol boats had been delivered by middle of 2006. There were 298 recorded complaints about the two boats, which were also found to have 100 and 383 uncompleted items aboard them respectively. The original RM5.35 billion contract ballooned to RM6.75 billion by January 2007. The auditor also reported that the ministry had paid out RM4.26 billion to PSC up to December 2006 although only RM2.87 billion of work had been done, an overpayment of RM1.39 billion, or 48 percent. In addition, Malaysia's cabinet waived late penalties of RM214 million. Between December 1999, according to the Auditor General, 14 progressive payments amounting to RM943 million despite the fact that the auditor general could find no payment vouchers or relevant documents dealing with the payments. The auditor general attributed the failure to serious financial mismanagement and technical incompetence stemming from the fact that PSC had never built anything but trawlers or police boats before being given the contract by Najib and the Ministry of Defense.
Conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim
On 30 June 2008, Najib denied any personal involvement in the alleged political conspiracy against former deputy premier
Dato' Seri Anwar IbrahimDato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, he became a protégé of the Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's administration.In 1999,...
, including a police report alleging Anwar committed sodomy against his former aide. He said the picture of his aide Khairil Anas Yusof with the alleged sodomy victim Saiful Bukhari Azlan at his office had been taken three months ago when the latter, in his capacity as a student leader, came to his office to seek a scholarship. However, on 1 July 2008, Najib mentioned that he met Saiful at his residence a few days before the Saiful made the police report on Anwar. Najib also said that Saiful sought to meet Najib to reveal that he had been sodomised by Anwar. Raja Petra contended that a friend had accompanied Saiful to a meeting with Najib before charges against Anwar were made public, implying that the new charges against Anwar had been trumped up.
It was alleged by
Federal Territory MosqueThe Federal Territory Mosque or Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan is a major mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located near MATRADE complex and the Federal Governmental Complex off Jalan Duta.- History :...
imam Ramlang Porigi that Najib's special officer Assoc Prof Khairil Annas Jusoh asked him to witness the oath-taking at the mosque on 15 August 2008 by Saiful that Anwar sodomised him. Ramlang was the witness at the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta on August 15 when Mohd Saiful Bukhari took an oath to demonstrate he was telling the truth when he accused Anwar of having sodomised him. Ramlang Porigi said that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s Quranic oath or “sumpah muhabalah” was technically wrong. “I was only there as a witness, to listen in,” he elaborated, noting that Saiful made two errors while reciting the oath. The first was when he mispronounced the word for God and Ramlang had to correct him; and the second when he confused the date of the alleged sodomy incident and corrected himself. It was supposed to have happened on June 26, but Saiful slipped and said Aug 26 instead. Ramlang described that Saiful looked far from regretful or fearful, for someone who had just uttered dreadful words that essentially asked God to rain down his just vengeance on him and his descendants if he lied. Ramlang reiterated that he had only been given the role of witness to play that day because he had been ordered to do so by his superiors. He mentioned that as a simple government servant, he had to follow orders.
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