Malaysia’s UMNO to Press for Najib Release But Stay in Coalition
Najib Razak arrives for a court hearing in Kuala Lumpur, on Dec. 22.
Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty ImagesThe United Malays National Organisation, which for decades dominated Malaysian politics and remains a key member of the ruling coalition, is set to renew a push for the release of jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak next week, even as it steps back from threats to quit the government.
Resolutions pushing for a full pardon and demanding justice for Najib were the “hottest topic” submitted by the party’s 191 divisions ahead of its annual assembly, Secretary-General Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said at a briefing on Friday. Some 104 divisions submitted resolutions calling for the release of Najib, who has multiple convictions for his role in the 1MDB fraud that cost the country billions.