Washington Post: Putrajaya need tread cautiously in pursuit of Najib Malay Mail Justin Ong,Malay Mail 30 minutes ago Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email The US newspaper also reminded Malaysia that the criminal action against Najib was but the first step of many on the country’s road to recovery after years of allegedly kleptocratic rule. — Reuters pic KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — The federal government must ensure that all enforcement and legal actions against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak are beyond reproach, said the Washington Post in an editorial piece today. The US newspaper said that while Najib’s arrest and prosecution has allowed the country to take its first significant step down the path for justice, authorities must take care not to let technicalities derail their case. Among others, it noted the rumblings over the legality of the so-called 1MDB Task Force purportedly directing Attorney-General Tommy Thomas over the prosecution of Najib in relation to the state investment firm and its subsidiaries, past and present. “Najib still has supporters across the country, so any sign that his prosecution is being mishandled could cause unrest and undermine the investigative efforts of other countries,” the newspaper’s editors said. While the arrest was eventually claimed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Washington Post said Putrajaya must still endeavour to observe due process at every juncture of Najib’s cases. The lawyer acting for Najib, Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah, seized on this very matter during a press conference yesterday, saying that the constitutionality of the action against his client may be in question if the 1MDB Task Force did indeed direct Thomas. Shafee stressed that the AG’s discretion on prosecutions was absolute and incontrovertible, with the Federal Constitution stating that this could not be influenced or challenged by any other entity in the country including the judiciary. The US newspaper also reminded Malaysia that the criminal action against Najib was but the first step of many on the country’s road to recovery after years of allegedly kleptocratic rule. Corruption remained endemic while the country’s institutions such as the judiciary and legislature are yet to fully recover from previous efforts to emasculate these, it added. “The 1MDB case may be the flashiest instance of corruption in Malaysia, but it is by no means the only one.” The former PM was charged yesterday with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abusing his position for personal gain, claiming trial to all four charges stemming from RM42 million allegedly misappropriated from a former 1MDB unit. Each of the four charges is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine upon conviction, making Najib liable to be imprisoned for a maximum of 80 consecutive years.

Washington Post: Putrajaya need tread cautiously in pursuit of Najib

Justin Ong,Malay Mail 30 minutes ago

• Reactions
• Reblog on Tumblr
• Share
• Tweet
• Email

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — The federal government must ensure that all enforcement and legal actions against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak are beyond reproach, said the Washington Post in an editorial piece today.
The US newspaper said that while Najib’s arrest and prosecution has allowed the country to take its first significant step down the path for justice, authorities must take care not to let technicalities derail their case.
Among others, it noted the rumblings over the legality of the so-called 1MDB Task Force purportedly directing Attorney-General Tommy Thomas over the prosecution of Najib in relation to the state investment firm and its subsidiaries, past and present.
“Najib still has supporters across the country, so any sign that his prosecution is being mishandled could cause unrest and undermine the investigative efforts of other countries,” the newspaper’s editors said.
While the arrest was eventually claimed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Washington Post said Putrajaya must still endeavour to observe due process at every juncture of Najib’s cases.
The lawyer acting for Najib, Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah, seized on this very matter during a press conference yesterday, saying that the constitutionality of the action against his client may be in question if the 1MDB Task Force did indeed direct Thomas.
Shafee stressed that the AG’s discretion on prosecutions was absolute and incontrovertible, with the Federal Constitution stating that this could not be influenced or challenged by any other entity in the country including the judiciary.
The US newspaper also reminded Malaysia that the criminal action against Najib was but the first step of many on the country’s road to recovery after years of allegedly kleptocratic rule.
Corruption remained endemic while the country’s institutions such as the judiciary and legislature are yet to fully recover from previous efforts to emasculate these, it added.

“The 1MDB case may be the flashiest instance of corruption in Malaysia, but it is by no means the only one.”

The former PM was charged yesterday with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abusing his position for personal gain, claiming trial to all four charges stemming from RM42 million allegedly misappropriated from a former 1MDB unit.
Each of the four charges is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine upon conviction, making Najib liable to be imprisoned for a maximum of 80 consecutive years.