Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been cleared of audit tampering charges in connection with the 1MDB scandal. However, he will remain in prison where he is serving a 12-year sentence on other charges related to the same scandal. The High Court in Malaysia ruled that the prosecutors failed to prove that Najib interfered with an official audit report about the scandal-plagued sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Najib had been accused of using his position to order changes to the report on 1MDB before it was presented to a parliamentary committee responsible for overseeing state finances. Former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy was also cleared of abetting Najib in tampering with the report.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said, “The first accused [Arul Kanda] is discharged and acquitted from the charge. The second accused [Najib] is discharged and acquitted against the charge made against him.” Najib began a 12-year prison sentence in August 2022 after losing his final appeal in a corruption case linked to the theft of billions of dollars from 1MDB. The former leader was found guilty in July 2020 of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering for illegally receiving about $10m from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.
Najib’s acquittal on the tampering charge on Friday does not affect his current sentence. The former leader still faces multiple charges related to the scandal, which has also sparked investigations in the US, Switzerland, and Singapore. The scandal has tarnished Malaysia’s image and led to investigations into several high-profile individuals, including Najib.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was elected in November, has pledged to restore Malaysia’s image and root out corruption in the wake of the scandal. This includes launching a review of projects overseen by the previous administration. The scandal has led to a loss of confidence in Malaysia’s government and economy, and Ibrahim’s government is working to restore trust and confidence in the country’s institutions.
In conclusion, Najib Razak has been cleared of audit tampering charges related to the 1MDB scandal but will remain in prison where he is serving a 12-year sentence on other charges. The scandal has tarnished Malaysia’s image and led to investigations into several high-profile individuals, including Najib. The current government is working to restore trust and confidence in the country’s institutions and root out corruption.