Malaysian PM Anwar disagrees with UMNO’s payment of Najib’s fine but says it’s party’s prerogative

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed disagreement with UMNO’s decision to pay the RM50 million (S$15.7 million) fine on behalf of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, stressing that corruption and abuse of power must not be taken lightly in the name of friendship.Anwar said personal ties and goodwill towards Najib should not create the impression that corruption and abuse of power involving billions of ringgit could be overlooked.However, he acknowledged that the payment was UMNO’s prerogative, adding that the Malaysian government respected the legal process and Malaysian King Ibrahim Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim’s decision under the Constitution.“Personally, I disagree. While we have a sense of friendship with Najib, it must not give the public the impression that corruption involving billions of ringgit can simply be overlooked.“What values are we teaching our children? We must uphold firm moral principles that reject abuse of power and corruption,” he told reporters after performing Friday prayers at Masjid Taman Kosas on Nov 6.Earlier, UMNO announced the closure of its special Najib Razak Solidarity Fund account after public contributions reached the required amount.UMNO secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said in a statement that the party had completed all payment procedures with the Kuala Lumpur High Court the morning of Nov 6.He said the fund, launched on Sept 18, was established to collect public donations through crowdfunding to assist the former prime minister and UMNO president.Najib was reported to have settled the RM50 million fine imposed in his SRC International fund misappropriation case at the Malaysian High Court’s criminal registry on Nov 6.His special officer, Ahmad Lutfi Azhar, arrived at the court at 11.30am to arrange the payment and complete the necessary administrative procedures.The payment was among the conditions of a royal pardon granted on Sept 18, allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.Najib, 73, has been serving his prison sentence at Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, following his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds. BERNAMA