Malaysia PM Anwar says he disagrees with UMNO paying Najib’s US$12.3 million fine

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday (Nov 6) said he disagrees with the decision by former premier Najib Razak’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party to pay his RM50 (US$12.3 million) fine, stressing that corruption involving billions of ringgit should not be dismissed.  

“If UMNO wants to pay the RM50 million, that is their decision, their business,” he told reporters, as quoted by news outlet New Straits Times (NST). 

“My personal view is that I disagree. While we maintain a spirit of friendship with Najib, it should not give the impression that corruption involving billions of ringgit can simply be overlooked.” 

Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition governs Malaysia alongside UMNO in the unity government.

Anwar on Friday said Malaysians must uphold firm moral principles against corruption and abuse of power. 

“What do we want to teach our children? A strong moral principle that rejects abuse of power and corruption,” he added. 

Earlier on Friday morning, UMNO secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed that the party had paid Najib’s fine at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

He said the "Najib Razak Solidarity Fund", a crowdfunding campaign launched on Sep 18, had collected sufficient donations to cover the payment. 

The payment thus fulfilled a key condition of the conditional royal pardon granted by Malaysian king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on Sep 18 allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to certain conditions. 

Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee also confirmed that the High Court had issued a house arrest order following the payment.