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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 February 2019

Malaysian ex-PM Najib combative ahead of 1MDB graft trial

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia slammed the new govern-
(AP) — From appearing in ment as "liars" and crooned
an R&B music video and about the "slander and
trolling social media to vilify revenge" against him in a
the new government, for- Malay-language rendition
mer Malaysian Prime Min- of the 1970's R&B soul hit
ister Najib Razak has been "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by
combative before the start the American group, the
of his graft trial, linked to the Manhattans.
multibillion-dollar looting of He posts a dozen messag-
the 1MDB state investment es daily on social media,
fund that has battered the mostly mocking the new
country's standing abroad. government and its poli-
The trial was to start Tues- cies, and touching on the
day, but Najib's lawyers plight of the needy.
won a delay of proceed- Last month while visiting
ings on Monday. vendors at a wet market,
Najib's lawyer, Farhan Najib jeered government
Read, said the Appeal leaders on Facebook: "Let
Court allowed the delay the ministers sleep on this
pending an appeal over Saturday morning."
a technical issue that the Bridget Welsh, political sci-
defense says could impair ence professor at the John
the validity of the trial. No In this July 4, 2018, file photo, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, arrives at a Cabot University in Rome,
date has been set for the court house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. said Najib is seeking to tap
appeal hearing. Prosecu- Associated Press into anger from those who
tors couldn't immediately were displaced politically
be reached for comment, art works, jewelry and other has been charged with coined while he was cam- and those disappointed by
but reportedly said it could extravagances. Some $700 money laundering and tax paigning in a by-election the new government.
delay the trial by up to two million from the fund that evasion linked to 1MDB. last month and has be- "There will actually be two
weeks. Najib set up for Malaysia's She has pleaded not guilty come his new rally cry. Ex- battles — that in the court-
Anger over the 1MDB scan- economic development and her trial has not been pensive tailored suits have room and that in the public
dal led to Najib's spectac- allegedly landed in his own set. been replaced by hoodies — in which Najib has used
ular election defeat nine bank account. Instead of lying low ahead and jeans. A picture Najib a flush-funded social me-
months ago. U.S. investiga- One of only a few South- of his trial, Najib has fought posted on social media dia machine to build sup-
tors say more than $4.5 bil- east Asian leaders to be back with a political make- showing himself posing on port," said Welsh, a South-
lion was stolen from 1MDB arraigned after losing of- over on social media that a Yamaha motorcycle with east Asia expert. "He has
by associates of Najib be- fice, Najib has denied any aims to transform his image his new "'no-shame" meme fanned two sentiments —
tween 2009 and 2014 and wrongdoing. He is charged from an out-of-touch elitist resonated with many Ma- supposed political victim-
the ill-gotten gains were with 42 counts of criminal to a leader for the working lay youths disenchanted by ization and racial insecurity
laundered through layers breach of trust, graft, abuse class. Prime Minister Mahathir Mo- — stemming from the fact
of bank accounts in the U.S. of power and money laun- A Malay-language catch- hamad's new government. that Malay chauvinists do
and other countries to fi- dering in one of Malaysia's phrase translating to In another offbeat music not have the same level of
nance Hollywood films and biggest criminal trials. His "What's to be ashamed video that he uploaded political power in the new
buy hotels, a luxury yacht, wife Rosmah Mansor also about, my boss?" was on social media, Najib government."q