Has justice been done in the 1MDB scandal?
Guilty of corruption, former Malaysian PM Najib Razak was sentenced to more 12 years in jail.
For years, the 1MDB scandal shook Malaysia.
Billions of dollars were allegedly looted from a state fund set up to promote development.
A former prime minister was implicated, as well as a network of foreign companies.
Malaysia’s rule of law was put to the test on Tuesday over Najib Razak’s involvement.
He was found guilty of all seven charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison on corruption charges. The judge has allowed a delay in carrying out the sentence.
He was also fined almost $50m.
It is the first of five corruption trials and is centred on the transfer of nearly $10m from a former unit of the fund into Najib’s personal accounts.
He denies any wrongdoing and said he would appeal.
So, could this be a step towards rooting out corruption in Malaysia?
And what, if any, are the political ramifications?
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Ei Sun Oh – Former political secretary to Najib Razak
Clare Rewcastle Brown – Investigative journalist who helped to expose the 1MDB scandal
Bridget Welsh – Honorary research associate at the University of Nottingham’s Malaysia Campus