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Najib’s 1MDB Trial on Hold to Let Him Join Malaysia Politics

Najib’s 1MDB Trial on Hold to Let Him Join Malaysia Politics

The 1MDB trial for Malaysia’s former leader Najib Razak is put on hold, allowing him to join the political campaign at an upcoming by-election and deliver a speech when parliament sits.

The judge agreed to continue the proceedings on July 15 with room for further delay until July 17 if Najib still has to attend parliament. That’s after his lawyer submitted a request to vacate the trial on Thursday due to a foreign ministry meeting. The lawyer then requested a later resumption to let Najib join the Chini state seat by-election campaign this week and speak in the parliament session set to begin July 13.

Najib’s 1MDB Trial on Hold to Let Him Join Malaysia Politics

The trial revolves around corruption and money-laundering charges involving $681 million that appeared in Najib’s personal bank accounts. The accusations are linked to his role in 1MDB, the Malaysian state fund that’s at the center of global investigations.

Najib was ousted as prime minister in the 2018 election that saw Malaysians rallying against the 1MDB scandal and high costs of living. That led to the country’s first change of government since its independence and a crackdown against those involved in the troubled state fund.

Following a political turmoil in February, Najib’s party has since returned to the ruling administration, spurring concern over the ongoing 1MDB trials and investigations. Current Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has pledged to continue fighting corruption, even as his government faced backlash for agreeing to a settlement with Najib’s stepson in a separate case involving 1MDB funds.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.