Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been found guilty of abuse of power in the biggest trial yet tied to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB corruption scandal, a ruling that threatens to strain the country’s fragile ruling coalition. The verdict, delivered on December 26, 2025, marks another significant chapter in a saga that has already seen Najib imprisoned for previous convictions related to the same fund.
In a Kuala Lumpur court, Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah found Najib guilty on multiple charges, including abuse of power and money laundering, for receiving illegal transfers exceeding RM2.3 billion (approximately $730.5 million) from 1MDB. The judge emphasized that the evidence pointed “unmistakably” to Najib’s direct involvement and dismissed his defense as implausible. This trial, known as the 1MDB-Tanore case, is part of a series of legal proceedings against the former leader.
Judge Sequerah highlighted the “unmistakable bond” between Najib and fugitive financier Jho Low, whom he described as acting as the prime minister’s “proxy and intermediary” in 1MDB affairs. The court rejected Najib’s claim that he believed the funds were donations from the Saudi royal family, stating that the letters produced were likely forgeries and that Najib had the resources to verify such claims while in office. This narrative was debunked by what the judge called “cold, hard and incontrovertible evidence.”
The ruling comes just days after another court denied Najib’s bid to serve his sentence under house arrest, a decision that has ignited tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration. Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which is part of Anwar’s coalition, expressed disappointment, with some members calling for the party to break away and serve as opposition. Anwar has urged calm and respect for the judiciary’s independence.
Najib, 72, has been in prison since August 2022 after Malaysia’s top court upheld a 2020 conviction for corruption involving a 1MDB unit, for which he received a 12-year sentence that was later halved by a pardons board. Despite his incarceration, he remains an influential figure in Malaysian politics, and this new guilty verdict could further complicate the political landscape ahead of potential elections or coalition realignments.
The 1MDB scandal, which Najib co-founded in 2009 to promote economic development, evolved into one of the largest corruption cases in history, with over $4.5 billion allegedly stolen from the fund. Investigations by Malaysian and U.S. authorities revealed that more than $1 billion made its way into accounts linked to Najib. The scandal has also implicated international banks like Goldman Sachs, leading to convictions of former bankers.
Looking ahead, Najib faces maximum jail terms of 15 to 20 years on each charge in this latest trial, with sentencing yet to be announced. The verdict underscores ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Malaysia but also highlights the deep political divisions that persist. As the country grapples with the fallout, the focus shifts to how the ruling coalition will navigate these challenges and what this means for the future of governance and accountability in Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy.
