Recently in August 2022, Malaysian ex-Prime Minister (PM) Najib Razak began his 12-year prison sentence after losing his final appeal in a case linked to the irregularities in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund, with the top court unanimously upholding his conviction and sentence. This has again spurred up stories of corruption at the leadership and political levels affecting economic and political stability in Southeast Asian countries. 1MDB was a development fund that Najib set up shortly after taking power in 2009. Investigators allege at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates. Najib was found guilty in 2020 of seven charges of corruption for illegally receiving $9.4 million from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. Southeast Asian experts like, Bridget Welsh, at Malaysia’s Nottingham University have said, “For this decision, which is the first of many cases involving this particular scandal, to move in this particular direction really is a testimony to the rule of law in Malaysia, and the strengthening of the demands for the rule of law in Malaysia.”
Political corruption detrimental to Southeast Asia
