Najib’s house arrest denied: Malaysians spared another episode of political circus

 

WITH the High Court’s recent decision to deny the disgraced former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s demand for house arrest, Malaysians have now been spared at least one more episode of political circus.

Yet the broader spectacle continues: As the country now awaits the next major 1MDB verdict on Dec 26, Malaysians will recall watching years of Najib’s tired, clownish attempts to dance around the hard facts in the courtroom.

Najib’s melodramatic emotional baggage and demands for special treatment—ranging from butterscotch pudding to house arrest—fits neatly with his long-running sense of entitlement.

His arrogant delusions about his innocence might be amusing, if their consequences were not so severe. Instead, they have damaged Malaysia’s long-term economy, institutions and international reputation.

The judge’s refusal to grant house arrest to Najib was therefore more than a good legal decision. It was also a reminder that not even an Agong is above the law: the Constitution is the supreme law of Malaysia.

Earlier this year in a Putrajaya courtroom, a visibly shaken Najib took the witness stand and publicly embarrassed himself, over and over again. He could only respond to prosecutors’ questions about the so-called Saudi “donation” with loud sighs, trembling answers, and flashes of defensive anger.

Billions of ringgit had flowed into his personal bank accounts, yet his explanations were weak and pitiful. For Asian neighbors, Malaysia’s 1MDB circus, pink diamonds and Birkin bags and all, has become region’s longest-running joke.

This January, the prosecution methodically exposed inconsistency after inconsistency by Najib in court. For example, Najib could not answer how Saudi royals supposedly knew his private home address. He could not explain how they knew which of his personal bank accounts to transfer money into.

He also could not explain why the amounts received were far smaller than the sums allegedly “promised” by Saudi Arabia, either. Each unanswered question in court weakened Najib’s lies further.

Another damaging detail was also laid bare: The Saudi individual who allegedly wrote the letter “promising” funds to Najib was not even the same person who transferred the money. Funds also moved through different bank accounts, some of which were later closed.

In court, Najib struggled to address any of these contradictions. By the end of questioning, the indelible image of a remorseless man, yet cornered by a his own narrative.

Of course, Najib’s and his whinging daughter Nooryana Najwa’s fabrications and excuses reveal their arrogant contempt toward their fellow Malaysians. They seem to believe that the rakyat will accept any explanation from them, no matter how unlawful, ridiculous, or implausible they are.

In doing so, they both throw doubt not only upon themselves, but upon the seriousness and responsibility of the entire government: Is this is the guy whom UMNO wants to set free?

It is therefore no surprise that the cartoonist Fahmi Reza illustrated Najib as a clown. Many Malaysians felt the image captured, with brutal accuracy, the yawning gap between the gravity of the 1MDB crimes and the unseriousness of Najib’s explanations.

Like the rotten carcass of a beached whale that nobody knows what to do with, the disgusting UMNO also became Malaysia’s biggest problem, let alone beyond saving.

As the Dec 26 court verdict approaches, the stakes are clear. 1MDB was not some minor technical error. Billions of ringgit were misappropriated by Najib and his materialistic family, earning Malaysia the shameful, long-running label of “kleptocracy” from other countries.

While citizens struggled with rising living costs, Najib stole the public’s taxpayer money to fund his and his family’s disgusting extravagance and excess for years.

We are still struggling to emerge out from under their avalanche of corruption that that family all shoveled onto Malaysia.

The court’s refusal to grant house arrest sends a necessary signal that Najib, the former Agong, and their enablers cannot override the Constitution. Moreover, these country cannot move forward if corrupt clowns like Najib believe that they can dance around the facts forever.

On Dec 26, this long 1MDB circus must end with a “guilty” verdict for Najib. 

Corruption Watch is a Focus Malaysia viewer.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.