Editorial: Will Malaysia’s Najib Finally Quit?

Image: Wiki Commons

By Luke Hunt

Speculation is mounting that the embattled premier may seek a face-saving exit.

Malaysia’s embattled prime minister Najib Razak has entered negotiations for a face-saving exit from the turbulence of his nation’s politics, according to independent reports, after the anti-corruption commission referred 37 charges to the attorney-general for prosecution.

Sources told the London-based Sarawak Report and the Hong Kong-based Asia Sentinel that Najib entered talks to ensure his departure from a tenure blighted by allegations of massive corruption and three murders, including Kevin Morais, a lead investigator with the commission.

That prospect has fed social media commentators and prompted a rear-guard offensive by Malaysia’s mainstream newspapers, who are trying to convince a troubled wider world that the country remains an island of Muslim moderation amid a sea of Islamic militancy and terrorism. While this may somehow be seen as mitigating Najib’s legacy, the costs seem absurdly high given the allegations enveloping him.

Read the full story at The Diplomat