Malaysian Prime Minister Accuses Critics of Smear Campaign Ahead of Meeting with Donald Trump

Telegraph (U.K.)

11 September 2017

Malaysia’s prime minister has accused opponents of conducting a smear campaign ahead of a visit to the White House on Tuesday that has been overshadowed by a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.

For over a year, the U.S. Justice Department has conducted a probe of 1Malaysian Development Berhad (1MDB), a sovereign wealth fund founded by Najib Razak, and allegedly used by family and associates to acquire assets including real estate and jewellery.

The 1MDB fund has denied any illegal actions.

The White House has stressed that Malaysia is a key ally in countering North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and Beijing’s expansion in the South China Sea.

“Mr Najib is going as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, but he’s also going as an Asian leader and there are a lot of things going on not just in Southeast Asia but in the larger Asian region,” said Dr Joseph Chinyong Liow, professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

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Last updated on 12/09/2017