85-575: Sarawak Report is an investigative journalism website focused on environmental and corruption issues in Malaysia . It has been largely self-published and operated from London since 2010 by Clare Rewcastle Brown . The blog had originally focused on the welfare of the indigenous people in Sarawak but eventually published original exposés on corruption scandals in wider Malaysia. In 2017, it gained wide recognition for its original and early exposure of
170-489: A Mongolian woman hired as a French translator to facilitate the purchase of the submarines and mistress to Baginda, tried to blackmail Baginda for a $ 500,000 cut and was subsequently murdered. 2 policemen, who were bodyguards posted to Najib, were charged and found guilty. Reviewing the Altantuyaa case, Tommy Thomas, Attorney General of Malaysia from 2018 to 2020, wrote that the evidence "implicated not only Najib Razak as
255-502: A chain of exposés of alleged land grabs by the family of Sarawak's chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and their international property empire. In June 2010, Sarawak Report began its first exposé by publishing an article detailing about Canadian properties owned by the daughter, Jamilah Taib, of Taib Mahmud . This was followed by subsequent exposés on his properties in United States and London. Taib Mahmud's former aide, Ross Boyert
340-417: A company account, Good Star Limited controlled by Jho Low, US$ 700 million into the private AmBank account of Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak , and RM 2 million into prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor personal account. Jho Low was also accused of paying for Rosmah's jewellery purchases. Najib has since denied that he had taken 1MDB funds for personal gain while Rosmah denied that she has misappropriated
425-479: A controversial National Security Council Bill that provides the prime minister with unprecedented powers. Najib's various subsidy cuts have contributed to soaring living costs , while fluctuating oil prices and the fallout from the 1MDB scandal led to a depreciation of the Malaysian currency . These ended with BN's loss in the 2018 general elections . Najib then conceded defeat and promised to help facilitate
510-454: A culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy. While the concept aimed to promote national unity and inclusiveness, some critics argued that it was primarily a political slogan and that it did not lead to significant policy changes to address the underlying issues of ethnic and cultural diversity in the country. On 17 September 2008, Najib launched 1Malaysia.com.my in an effort to communicate with
595-497: A healthier lifestyle. He said, "there is no logic in the government allocating subsidies worth almost RM1 billion on a commodity that could endanger the people's health". Responding to concerns about how these reforms might affect the poor, the Prime Minister's Office pointed out that Malaysia will still be spending RM 7.82 billion per year on fuel and sugar subsidies and that prices for these commodities would remain
680-666: A major corruption scandal involving state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) which led to rallies calling for his resignation, spearheaded by the grassroots movement Bersih . These protests culminated in the Malaysian Citizens' Declaration by Mahathir Mohamad , Pakatan Harapan and NGOs which sought to oust Najib. Najib's response to the corruption accusations was to tighten his grip on power by replacing then-deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin , suspending two newspapers and pushing through parliament
765-412: A permit to offer brokerage services. The approval of these licenses is a sharp break from Malaysia's history of domestically dominated and tightly regulated markets for financial services. The International Institute for Management Development responded to these and other reforms by increasing Malaysia's ranking to the 10th-most competitive economy in the world in 2010 from 18th in 2009. Malaysia, which
850-405: A position he held until the 2013 election. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Najib implemented various economic and infrastructure development programs, including the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) initiative. However, his leadership was marred by allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds related to the 1MDB scandal , which led to his political downfall. In this scandal, it
935-654: A preference for participating in Chapter 6 "peace enforcement" missions, rather than Chapter 7 "peacekeeping" missions. After four years at the Ministry of Defence, Najib assumed control of the Education Ministry in 1995. He returned to the Ministry of Defence in 2000. Japanese raped Malay comfort women but UMNO leader Najib Razak blocked all attempts by other UMNO members like Mustapha Yakub at asking Japan for compensation and apologies. In 1995, Najib left
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#17327754967981020-605: A regional learning hub. During the 1999 general elections Najib suffered a major setback when he barely won re-election to the Parliament by a margin of 241 votes, compared to a margin of over 10,000 in the previous election. This is a surprise to political observers. During his second tenure as Minister of Defence Najib coordinated Malaysia's relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 , and provided support to Indonesia in arresting those responsible for
1105-498: A smooth transition of power. On 3 July 2018, Najib was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which investigated how RM42 million (US$ 10.6 million) went from SRC International, a company related to 1MDB, into Najib's bank account. In the process, the police seized a number of fashion accessories worth $ 273 million while searching through his properties. Najib
1190-515: A sustainable community. In December 2015, the National Security Council Bill 2015 was passed in Parliament after a marathon six-hour debate. The bill provides the Prime Minister of Malaysia with unprecedented powers, such as the ability to define what constitutes a security issue as well as deem any part of Malaysia a security area. Within that area, authorities may make arrests, conduct searches or seize property without
1275-411: A warrant. The bill was criticised by rights groups as inviting government abuse. The Malaysian Bar called it a "lurch towards an authoritarian government". The government has defended the bill, with cabinet minister Shahidan Kassim saying the law is necessary to enable better co-ordination and a uniform response in the event the country is faced with security threats, and that the law does not contravene
1360-581: A worldwide apology and revised its commissioning procedures after the revelation that it had been commissioning programming from FBC at token prices, which the company had then used as a PR platform for its business and political clients. In May 2014, Sarawak Report began to allege that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was backing Jho Low 's company, Wynton Group, for a bid to purchase Maybourne Hotel Group in London. In August 2014, Red Granite Pictures admitted that its financial backer for film production
1445-493: Is a Malaysian politician who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal , one of the largest money-laundering and embezzlement scandals in history. He is the son of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein . Najib Razak was the chairman of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition from April 2009 to May 2018 and
1530-795: Is now ranked fifth in the Asia Pacific region, scored well in business and government efficiency. Economists attributed the rise of Malaysia's ranking to the efforts of the Malaysian government to improve the country's business environment such as the New Economic Model , the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme . The Malaysian government passed two stimulus packages to mitigate
1615-532: The 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal , which had led the Najib Razak -led Malaysian government to block the website. The blog was openly critical of the Barisan Nasional -led state and federal governments of Sarawak and Malaysia, and supportive of the Pakatan Harapan opposition. The sarawakreport.org domain name was registered on 12 February 2010. The website published its first post focusing on
1700-562: The 2005 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 stabilise Lebanon following the 2006 Lebanon War . As Defence Minister, Najib instituted compulsory military service in December 2003, stating that it would encourage interaction and friendship between youth of different ethnic groups and religions. During its first five years of operation, over 339,000 Malaysian youth participated in
1785-505: The 2013 election , his government pursued a number of its critics on sedition charges , the imprisonment of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim following a conviction for sodomy and the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was Prime Minister during the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disaster and a dispute with North Korea following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam . In 2015, Najib became implicated in
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#17327754967981870-672: The Bakun Dam , one of the largest dams in Asia. Sinohydro later acknowledged their flawed construction procedures in building the dam. In April 2012, Sarawak Report published a series of leaked documents from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), alleging the business relation between Musa Aman , who is the Sabah Chief Minister , and Michael Chia, the middleman in managing kickbacks for timber companies' operations inside Sungai Pinangah Forest Reserve, Sabah. Michael Chia
1955-613: The PLKN (the Bahasa Malaysian acronym for "Malaysian National Service"), which is intended to promote tolerance, teamwork, and community engagement. The programme, however, has faced challenges. Safety issues in the program have been reported and several people died during or shortly after their terms of service during the program's first few years. In response, Najib strengthened the PLKN's health screening requirements and reinforced
2040-521: The Pahang -based seat of Pekan . The national outpouring of grief following Tun Razak's death and the respect for his father helped Najib win election unopposed as Member of Parliament at the very young age of 23. In 1986 Najib won re-election to the same seat. From 1982 to 1986 he was the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Pahang, before holding various cabinet posts throughout the remainder of
2125-751: The UN peacekeeping forces in Bosnia in 1993 during the Bosnian War . Malaysian forces were greeted warmly by Bosnians as well as Serbs and Croats. Malaysia also assisted peacekeeping operations in Somalia in 1993, losing one soldier in an effort to aid US soldiers during the Battle of Mogadishu . Najib later criticised the UN's Somalia operation as putting too much emphasis on military action. Since then Malaysia has stated
2210-581: The University of Nottingham , where he received a bachelor's degree in industrial economics in 1974. Najib Razak returned to Malaysia in 1974 and entered the business world, serving briefly at Bank Negara Malaysia and later with Petronas (Malaysia's national oil company) as a public affairs manager. The eldest son of Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Hussein , was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976 replacing his deceased father in
2295-518: The 10th Malaysia Plan and the New Economic Model. The government believes it will save RM 750 million by the end of 2010 through these measures with little negative impact on most citizens. Sugar and fuel subsidies were selected for reform because they disproportionately benefit the wealthy and foreigners, encourage over-consumption and create opportunities for fraud and smuggling. Najib expressed his hope that Malaysians would adopt
2380-529: The 1980s and 1990s, including Defence and Education. In 2004 he became Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi , and replaced him 2009. Under his leadership, Barisan Nasional won the 2013 elections , although for the first time in Malaysia's history the opposition won the majority of the popular vote. Najib was first assigned into the Cabinet of Malaysia at the age of 25 when he
2465-679: The Barisan Nasional coalition. Najib's tenure has also been marked by increasingly aggressive racial rhetoric from elements within Najib's UMNO party, particularly towards Chinese Malaysians . Additionally, there were concerns that the government's efforts to promote 1Malaysia were seen by some as a way to consolidate power and influence. So, while the 1Malaysia concept was intended to promote unity and inclusiveness, it did face controversy and criticism from various quarters during Najib Razak's tenure as Prime Minister. The first BR1M Project
2550-490: The Defence 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 2020. The 1996 Private Higher Education Institutions Act, allowed foreign universities to establish degree-conferring schools in Malaysia, providing greater educational opportunities for Malaysians and positioning Malaysia as
2635-706: The Foreign Investment Committee and lowering the minimum quota for Malay ownership in publicly traded companies from 30 percent to 12.5 percent. As he introduced the reforms Najib stated, "The world is changing quickly and we must be ready to change with it or risk being left behind." Since these reforms have been implemented, the American banking firms Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have been granted permission to expand their operations in Malaysia. Goldman Sachs received licenses to set up fund management and advisory operations. Citigroup has obtained
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2720-476: The Malaysian government. Najib became the first Muslim leader from South East Asia to set foot on Palestinian soil. Najib says Palestinians can count on Malaysia, but for there to be lasting peace, Hamas and Fatah must unite to safeguard the safety and security of the Palestinian people. Malaysia will give Palestine the moral, financial and political support it needs to rise above its struggles, but securing
2805-603: The Minister for Finance, handing the Defence portfolio to Badawi. During the global financial crisis, Malaysia faced a strong 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 countercyclical response that might otherwise protect Malaysia's economy. He also pressed for
2890-598: The Movement of UMNO Youth by Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim after Anwar was asked to contest the post of UMNO Vice-President. Following mounting ethnic tensions anti-Chinese sentiments were expressed at a UMNO Youth rally held in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur the same year where Najib spoke. Rising tensions soon lead to fears of ethnic violence and eventually resulted in a security operation known as Operasi Lalang , that included numerous administrative detentions . Following
2975-625: The National Sports Policy in 1988. In 1989 Malaysia achieved its best-ever performance at the South East Asia (SEA) Games, held in Kuala Lumpur. Najib was appointed head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of UMNO Youth's Executive Council (Exco) in 1976. In 1981, he was selected as a member of UMNO's Supreme Council, before winning the post of Vice-President of UMNO Youth in 1982. On 26 October 1987,
3060-552: The Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said Musa Aman has been cleared of the alleged RM 40 million kickbacks for timber licences by the Attorney-General's Chambers as "the funds were contributions to the Sabah Umno liaison body and not for the personal use of the chief minister". The Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak , refused to disclose the source of the political donation but he insisted that
3145-515: The RM 2.5 million but they refused to disclose the source of donation. In May 2018, Hadi Awang's lawyer claimed that he had won all five interlocutory applications in libel suit against Sarawak Report and Sarawak Report had to pay £28,900 for Hadi's legal costs. However, Sarawak Report debunked the Hadi's lawyer statement that the payment was necessary for the costs accrued due to revision of defence and
3230-603: The basic human rights guaranteed under the federal constitution. On 2 May 2009, Najib announced the government's plan to develop a New Economic Model that will speed Malaysia's transition to a high-income country. The plan will emphasise ways to increase the income and productivity of workers by encouraging knowledge industries and increasing investment from overseas. Najib has started to implement comprehensive reform of government subsidies. On 16 July 2010, subsidies for petrol, diesel and LPG were cut as part of Malaysia's general programme of reducing and rationalising subsidies per
3315-423: The citizens of Malaysia more efficiently and support the broader 1Malaysia campaign. He has used the site to highlight his policy initiatives and to provide a forum for Malaysians to their government. The 1Malaysia campaign makes extensive use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Research has suggested that Najib and UMNO have made extensive efforts to establish a favourable online presence through
3400-554: The complete reorganisation and founding of the "New" UMNO by Mahathir Mohamad in the aftermath of the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis , Najib was appointed president of UMNO Youth in 1988. By 1993, Najib was elected as one of six vice-presidents of UMNO in response to Anwar's decision to contest as the deputy president of UMNO. Najib continued to defend his post in party elections held in 1993, 1996, and 2004. In 1991, Mahathir appointed Najib as Minister of Defence . Under Najib's direction, Malaysian troops were deployed to assist
3485-416: The construction sector. Malaysia's central bank reported that Malaysia's economy grew at an annualised rate of 9.5% during the first half of 2010. Najib says the country is on track to meet the 6% average annual growth to reach its goal of becoming a developed country by 2020. Commenting on this same economic data Najib said that as of August 2010 there were no plans for further economic stimulus. Rather he said
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3570-478: The content of the website appears to be "unsubstantiated" and it may "undermined the stability" of the country. Sarawak Report continued to reach the Malaysian public through Medium.com, but that was also blocked in January 2016. On 15 May 2018, six days after the 2018 Malaysian general election where the ruling Barisan Nasional was defeated and the Pakatan Harapan came to power, the 1MDB Auditor General's Report
3655-471: The country that has led to many species becoming threatened with extinction. As a major economic sector, palm oil production has had a substantial environmental impact . Air pollution is also a major issue, with the country one of the most affected countries by seasonal Southeast Asian haze . The country is also affected by climate change . Climate change is having a considerable impact in Malaysia . Increasing temperatures are likely to greatly increase
3740-559: The country to move beyond existing manufacturing capabilities through education, research and development to develop greater strength as a provider of sophisticated business services. After a poor showing by the ruling UMNO coalition in the elections of 8 March 2008 in which opposition parties gained control of five of thirteen Malaysian state governments, Badawi identified Najib as his intended successor. On 8 October 2008, Prime Minister Badawi announced he would step down in March 2009, paving
3825-686: The country's second-largest lender, Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd. 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 . He received his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur . He later attended Malvern College in Worcestershire , England, and subsequently went to
3910-409: The country. British colonial deforestation efforts began in 1880 and were rapidly driven by commercial rubber and palm oil cultivation. The following are notable projects contributing to deforestation: Malaysia had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.01/10, ranking it 111th globally out of 172 countries. Air pollution in Malaysia is a major issue, with the country one of
3995-471: The deal into an account controlled by him. PetroSaudi has denied the reports, while 1MDB has denied any connections with Jho Low. Sarawak Report further alleges that the 1 billion loan paid by 1MDB to PetroSaudi has not been declared to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the Malaysian central bank. 1MDB was also accused of providing false documents to Malaysian central bank and other international banks. The website also alleged that US$ 1.16 billion from 1MDB went into
4080-532: The documents are authentic and Musa Aman was the focus of the investigation. In August 2011, an investigation by Sarawak Report revealed that FBC Media, a media production company had been acting as a public relations firm for Malaysian politicians including Abdul Taib Mahmud and Najib Tun Razak . The exposé caused BBC and CNBC to sever their relationships with FBC Media, and resulted in FBC Media going into administration on 24 October 2011. The BBC later issued
4165-472: The effects of the global economic downturn. The first stimulus package, worth RM 7 billion, was announced on 4 November 2008. The second package, worth RM 60 billion, was announced on 10 March 2009. Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Najib has been monitoring the progress of the stimulus packages on a weekly basis. Government economists believe that the stimulus packages have successfully generated increased economic activity, especially in
4250-479: The full trial will be heard from 1 April 2019 to 10 April 2019 for total ten days. On 2 February 2019, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang agreed on an out-of-court settlement with Sarawak Report . Riza Aziz and Red Granite Pictures In December 2013, Sarawak Report ran a series of exposés on Riza Aziz , stepson of Prime Minister Najib Razak , and how he managed to get millions in funding for his film production company Red Granite Pictures . The production company
4335-584: The funds from 1MDB. On 4 August 2015, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that the US$ 700 million was a political donation for United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) held in trust by Najib Razak. On 15 August 2015, Sarawak Report alleged that after the 2013 Malaysian General Election , US$ 650 million out of US$ 700 million in Najib's account was transferred back to Tanore Finance Corporation (BVI) at Falcon bank in Singapore when his account
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#17327754967984420-424: The funds in his personal accounts were donations from a Saudi royal family member, which he said were used for political purposes and not for personal gain. However, investigations by various authorities in multiple countries, including the United States and Switzerland, uncovered evidence suggesting a different story. In 2018, Najib's political career faced a significant setback when his party, Barisan Nasional, lost
4505-471: The general elections to the Pakatan Harapan coalition. Subsequently, he faced legal charges related to the 1MDB scandal. 1Malaysia is an ongoing campaign announced by Najib on 16 September 2008, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to emphasise ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. The eight values of 1Malaysia as articulated by Najib are perseverance,
4590-435: The government has also allocated RM 250.00 to single individuals. Those who have received RM 500.00 from the first BR1M project need not apply as it will be automatically processed. BR1M 4.0, which was announced in 2014, saw an increase in handouts from RM 650 to RM 950 for individuals earning less than RM 2,000.00, while households earning less than RM 4,000 will receive RM 750. Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) Berhad
4675-648: The government would focus on improving Malaysia's economic fundamentals and increasing investment. The government of Malaysia has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank . Malaysia also supports unity between the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas factions. Najib visited the West Bank with his wife Rosmah Mansor , escorted by senior officers of
4760-557: The government's commitment to punish negligent PLKN officials. French courts investigated allegations of corruption in the purchases of two Scorpène-class submarines, by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence in 2002, at a time when Najib was the minister of defence. The allegations are that Abdul Razak Baginda , an aide of Najib, received "commission" payments from the French submarine builder DCNS. Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa ,
4845-442: The inconsistencies of explanations and documents provided by 1MDB. On 6 August 2016, Sarawak Report alleged that Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) received RM 90 million from Najib. In April 2017, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang decided to file a defamation lawsuit against Sarawak Report . In April 2018, Sarawak Report further alleged that PAS received RM 2.5 million from UMNO on 21 March 2018. PAS admitted that they have received
4930-581: The lowest in Southeast Asia. The government also stated that education and health care would continue receiving state support. Malaysia has implemented substantial measures to attract foreign investment including a moderation of preferences designed to benefit ethnic Malays. Specifically these reforms include allowing foreign investors to hold majority stakes in most enterprises excluding "strategic" industries such as banking, telecommunications, and energy, easing insurance regulation, curtailing powers of
5015-459: The money was funded through legitimate channels. In response to the reply by Najib, Sarawak Report released another set of documents on 14 October which pointed the donors to Sabah and Sarawak timber tycoons. In April 2013, Reuters validated that the documents released by Sarawak Report as genuine. Two of the timber firms confirmed with Reuters that the money was transferred to secure the logging contracts. MACC officials also told Reuters that
5100-619: The most affected by seasonal Southeast Asian haze . Coastal reclamation is damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sights. The country has numerous waste and recycling policies and initiatives but overall low rate of recycling and problems with violations and enforcement of such laws and policies. Najib Tun Razak Prime Minister of Malaysia 1MDB scandal [REDACTED] Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( Jawi : محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق , Malay: [muhammad nadʒɪb] ; born 23 July 1953)
5185-524: The most effective voices calling attention to deforestation in Malaysia " The Open Society Foundation acknowledged that websites like Sarawak Report have been able to "disseminate news on alleged state government corruption to rural areas that are hard to reach" but described the nature of Sarawak Report's reporting as "half-sensational, half-revelatory," making verification an issue. On 19 July 2015, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) decided to block access to Sarawak Report because
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#17327754967985270-427: The number of heatwaves occurring annually. Variations in precipitation may increase the frequency of droughts and floods in various local areas. Sea level rise may inundate some coastal areas. These impacts are expected to have numerous environmental and socioeconomic effects, exacerbating existing environmental issues and reinforcing inequality . Deforestation in Malaysia is a major environmental issue in
5355-656: The person who gave [one of the bodyguards] the order to kill, but also his aide-de-camp, Musa Safri". In 2004, Mahathir retired and was replaced by his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi . Najib became Deputy Prime Minister and was given a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including oversight of FELDA , the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), and the Election Commission (EC). Najib also chaired more than 28 cabinet committees. He remained as Minister for Defence. In September 2008, Najib became
5440-512: The president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) from November 2008 to May 2018, which had maintained control of Malaysia's government with a parliamentary majority for more than sixty years until the coalition's defeat in the 2018 general election . Najib was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976, at the age of 23, replacing his deceased father in the Pahang -based seat of Pekan . In
5525-435: The recruitment and support of bloggers and other social media users, sometimes known as 'cybertroopers.' However, Najib has been criticised for an apparent deterioration of race relations in Malaysia during his tenure that has occurred despite the 1Malaysia programme. In 2014, the long-serving former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad withdrew his support for Najib citing, among other things, the abandonment by Chinese voters of
5610-579: The rights of the indigenous people in the jungles of the Baram Region, Sarawak, Malaysia but eventually began to publish exposés on corruption scandals in Malaysia in general. On 15 June 2010, it published its first exposé on the Sarawak chief minister family's properties in Canada. The website was initially operated anonymously. It described itself as "a group of citizens and onlookers deeply concerned by
5695-501: The same year, he was appointed the head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of the youth wing's Executive Council. In the early years of his political career, Najib took on a deputy minister role in 1976, and between 1982 and 1986, he was the Menteri Besar of Pahang . Thereafter, until 2009, he was rotated throughout the Cabinet of Malaysia , taking on various ministerial portfolios in defence, education, culture, youth and sports, and finally finance. Between 1993 and 2009, Najib
5780-417: The situation in Sarawak, East Malaysia." In November 2010, its sister organisation, a pirate radio operation named Radio Free Sarawak was formed. On 22 February 2011, Clare Rewcastle Brown decided to go public and to claim responsibility of the website after her American informant, Ross Boyert, was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room. Since then, Clare Rewcastle became the founder, the editor-in-chief, and
5865-584: The spokesperson for Sarawak Report . According to the Sarawak Report website, it exists to provide a platform for those who denied access to the state-controlled media, and "to offer an alternative vision of justice, transparency and a fairer future." The blog is openly critical of the Barisan Nasional-led state and federal governments of Sarawak and Malaysia, and supportive of the Pakatan Harapan opposition. Sarawak Report published
5950-476: The then leader of the opposition, Lim Kit Siang , called for the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate how Najib, who was then Pahang MB, could give approval for a logging concession of 2000 acres to a resident of a low-cost housing estate. He asked ACA to investigate whether the logging concessionnaire was in fact a nominee for Najib himself. In 1987, Najib was selected as the acting head of
6035-495: The way for Najib 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 2 November 2008, without contest. On 26 March 2009, Najib won the UMNO presidency unopposed. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Malaysia on 3 April 2009 In 2012, Najib also assumed the role of women, family and community development minister,
6120-430: Was Aabar Investments where the latter had a strong investment ties with 1MDB. In March 2015, the website ran several reports about a strategic development fund supported by the Malaysian government and its business dealings. One such report was made about joint venture deal had been initiated by Jho Low on 8 September 2009 between 1MDB and PetroSaudi International, and how Jho Low allegedly siphoned off US$ 700 million from
6205-421: Was a scheme devised by Najib Razak to help poor Malaysians. The amount of RM 500.00 Ringgit Malaysia was given to households with an income of less than RM 3,000 a month. The second BR1M Project, also known as BR1M 2.0, with more than 2.5 billion ringgit will be distributed to Malaysians nationwide. This will affect 5.7 million household all over the country. In addition to the RM 500.00 for household,
6290-478: Was a vice-president of UMNO. During his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister, he was accused of being involved in the 2006 Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case , but he denied any involvement in the case. Najib's tenure as prime minister , between 2009 and 2018, was marked by economic liberalisation measures , such as cuts to government subsidies , loosening of restrictions on foreign investment , and reductions in preferential measures for ethnic Malays in business. After
6375-406: Was alleged that billions of dollars were siphoned off from the 1MDB state investment fund, which Najib was closely associated with, into his personal accounts and those of his associates. These funds were purportedly used for various personal expenses, including luxury real estate, artwork, and even financing the production of Hollywood films. Najib consistently denied any wrongdoing and claimed that
6460-600: Was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Post in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy minister in the country. He served as the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) 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. In 1986 he was appointed as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in the Cabinet of Mahathir Mohamad . He focused on improving Malaysian sports and introduced
6545-631: Was caught trying to smuggle SGD 16 million out of Hong Kong in 2008. Abdul Gani Patail , the Attorney General of Malaysia who is related to the Musa Aman family, was accused of trying to block the MACC investigation. Swiss authorities cooperated with their counterparts in Hong Kong in the investigation of the Musa Aman case. On 11 October 2012, in a written reply to the Parliament, Minister in
6630-608: Was closed on 30 August 2013. Tanore Corporation was later closed down in April 2014. The website also alleged that UMNO Back Bencher Chairman Shahrir Abdul Samad , received RM1 million while the Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan , received RM2 million from the Najib's private account. In July 2016, Sarawak Report released details of the classified Auditor General's Report on 1MDB and BNM letter to Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC), highlighting
6715-468: Was declassified. Following this, MCMC decided to unblock Sarawak Report and Medium.com on 18 May 2018. Environmental issues in Malaysia Malaysia faces several environmental issues . Malaysia's environment possesses megadiverse biological diversity , with globally significant endemism and biodiversity , but is threatened by several issues. Deforestation is a major issue in
6800-463: Was established under the PR1MA Act 2012 to plan, develop, construct and maintain affordable lifestyle housing for middle-income households in key urban centres. Middle-income is defined as a monthly household (husband and wife) income of between RM 2,500 and RM 7,500. PR1MA will be the first organisation that exclusively targets this middle segment with homes ranging from RM 100,000 to RM 400,000 in
6885-616: Was involved with funding the Oscar nominated movie, The Wolf of Wall Street to the tune of US$ 100 million. Also reported was Aziz's purchase of a US$ 33.5 million luxury condominium in New York City in November 2012. Red Granite Pictures has threatened legal action against Sarawak Report , but no action has been taken so far. In January 2014, Riza Aziz was dropped from a list of nominees for Academy Award for Best Picture after he
6970-552: Was nominated by Producers Guild of America (PGA) for the movie Wolf of the Wall Street . Sarawak Report has received both praise and criticism. In 2013, Bridget Welsh, a political science professor at Singapore Management University and an expert on Malaysian affairs, credited Sarawak Report for its "impact on the political debate" over deforestation in Sarawak. and the New York Times called Rewcastle Brown "one of
7055-563: Was subsequently charged and convicted by the High Court on abuse of power , money laundering and criminal breach of trust , becoming the first Prime Minister of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption , and was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and fined RM210 million. At the same time, Najib was also simultaneously directed to settle RM1.69 billion in tax arrears owed to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB). The sentence
7140-465: Was the major source for Sarawak Report on the Taib family property empire in the United States. Exposés by Sarawak Report have led to investigations by Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Canada into Taib family alleged assets. In April 2011, Sarawak Report claimed that its website was hacked after it reported that Chinese dam constructor Sinohydro had used faulty construction methods when building
7225-730: Was upheld by the Federal Court on 23 August 2022. He is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison . Najib was born on 23 July 1953 at the Pahang State Secretary official residence in Bukit Bius, Kuala Lipis , Pahang. Najib is the eldest of second Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak 's six sons, and the nephew of the third PM Hussein Onn . His younger brother, Dato' Seri Mohd Nazir Abdul Razak , runs
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