Malaysia activists renew reform calls after ex-PM Najib jailed for 1MDB scandal

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FILE PHOTO: Malaysias former Prime Minister Najib Razak, jailed for corruption in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, attends the verdict of his house arrest bid at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia December 22, 2025. REUTERS/ Hasnoor Hussain/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 - Anti-graft activists in Malaysia have renewed calls for sweeping reforms to tackle corruption and prevent a repeat of 1MDB, after former Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted last week over the $4.5 billion scandal at the state fund.

Najib, 72, already serving a six-year jail sentence for graft in an earlier case linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB),was found guilty on December 26 of abuse of power and money laundering in the biggest trial he faced over the fund he co-founded while in office.

The High Court sentenced him to an additional 15 years in prison and a record fine of nearly $3 billion. Najib, who has been in prison since 2022, is appealing the ruling. He denies wrongdoing.

While civil society groups welcomed the verdict, many said it raised fresh questions over the independence of Malaysias institutions and exposed deep structural problems that have not been addressed since the 1MDB scandal was exposed more than a decade ago.

Transparency International Malaysia President Raymon Ram said the verdict represented a chance for the government to implement long-promised institutional reforms.

These include plans to separate the attorney-generals role as the governments top legal