Najib Razak

Najib Razak, born on July 23, 1953, is a prominent Malaysian politician who held the office of the sixth prime minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. He is the son of Abdul Razak Hussein, a former prime minister, and began his political journey at a young age, being elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976 at just twenty-three years old. Najib's early career included roles such as the head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and a deputy minister, eventually leading to his position as the Menteri Besar of Pahang from 1982 to 1986.

Throughout his political career, Najib held various ministerial roles, including defence, education, and finance, and served as the vice-president of UMNO from 1993 until 2009. His tenure as prime minister was marked by significant economic reforms, including unpopular subsidy cuts and the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax. However, his administration faced severe criticism and public discontent, particularly following the 2018 general election, which resulted in an unprecedented defeat for the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Najib's political downfall was largely attributed to corruption allegations linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, one of the largest financial scandals in history. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption, abuse of power, and money laundering, becoming the first Malaysian prime minister to face such charges. His conviction stemmed from the misappropriation of funds from SRC International, a company associated with 1MDB, leading to a twelve-year prison sentence and a hefty fine.

Despite his legal troubles, Najib's influence in Malaysian politics remains significant. His administration was also marked by controversial actions, including the suppression of dissent and the tightening of his grip on power in response to public protests. As of now, he is serving his sentence in Kajang Prison, a stark contrast to his once-prominent position in Malaysian politics.