Malaysia’s Ruling Party Sticks with Najib Despite Scandal

Nikkei Asian Review

16 July 2015

Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak appears to be weathering a storm over allegations that $700 million linked to a troubled state fund ended up in his personal bank accounts.

Several thousand supporters gathered on July 9 at a mosque in Taman Melati, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, where the prime minister prayed with his allies and celebrated iftar, the meal marking the end of the daily fast observed by Muslims during Ramadan.

… Oh Ei Sun, a former Najib staffer and now senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said UMNO and the cabinet were most likely watching closely to see if Najib can survive, even if some members might prefer another leader.

The latest developments, including Najib’s vociferous denials of the allegations, must have convinced the cabinet that “it was still opportune to throw their support behind Najib at that point in time,” Oh said.

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