Rise And Fall Of Ex Malaysian PM Najib Razak
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was a celebrated politician until he got himself entangled in the 1MDB wealth sovereign fund which killed his career and destroyed the 60 year rule of his coalition in 2018 polls. Najib has now been found guilty of corruption for looting to the tune of 1MDB.
Here's a look at the rise and fall of the disgraced politician
April 3 2009: Najib Razak becomes sixth PM of Malaysia
July 2009: Najib is made chairman of 1MDB advisory board
July 2015: As per WSJ, over $700 million of the 1 MDB is found to have diverted to the PM's personal account even though he rubbishes the accusation. The AG who is invetsigating Najib is dired so is his critic deputy Muhyiddin Yassin. Two newspapers and a website are banned for reporting against him and exposing the scandal.
August 2015: Malaysians gather in thousands rallying to demand Najib's exit
Jan 2016: Najib gets a clean chit from new Attorney General Apandi Ali who claims that the excess money in the former PM's account came as donation from Saudi Arabia's royal family.
May 2018: National Front coalition led by Najib and which had held a grip on the country since Malaysia's independence in 1957 loses polls. Mahathir Mohamad turns PM for the second time.
May 2018: Najib and family not allowed to leave country after the new govt re-opens probe into the 1MDB scam. Expensive items worth $259 million seized
June 2018: Najib charged with misuse of power and criminal breach of trust
Aug 2018: Najib seeks trial after pleading not guilty of 3 counts of money laundering
Sept 2018: The former Malay PM again pleads not guilty of 25 charges of money laundering and power misuse
Oct 2018: Rosmah, Najib's wife not guilty of tax evasion and money laundering
Oct 2018: In government payments linked to 1MDB, the Razak and his ex-treasury secretary general are charged with six counts of criminal breach of trust
Dec 2018: Najib pleads not guilty of tampering with audit report. Ex CEO of 1MDB accused of abetting him
Dec 2018: Goldman Sachs executives face criminal charges for bond sales it created for 1MDB
Feb 2018: Razak pleads not guilty to more money laundering charges, there are now 42 total charges against him
April 2019:The first corruption trial of Najib begins
July 2019: Najib's stepson Riza Aziz who also produced The Wolf of Wall Street pleads not guilty to money laundering charges linked to 1MDB
Aug 2019: Another biggest graft trial begins for Najib
Feb 2020: Najib wife's corruption trial begins
Feb 2020: Mahathir's party alliance collapses forcing him to quit
March 2020: Muhyiddin Yassin is new Malaysian PM
May 2020: Money laundering charges against Najib's step son dropped
June 2020: 46 corruption charges against ex Najib party leader dismissed
July 2020: Najib Razak ordered to pay up $398 million as unpaid taxes by the court
July 2020: Najib Razak found guilty in first corruption trial over the multibillion dollar looting of 1MDB