Basking in Asean success, Malaysia’s PM Najib looks set to defy calls for his ouster

When the Asean Summit ended in Kuala Lumpur last weekend, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s supporters were jubilant - the event was deemed a success, with the attendance of world leaders including US President Barack Obama.

“The leaders of the US, China and even Russia came here. What can Dr Mahathir do now,” said Zainal Epi, a supporter of Najib, referring to Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, now a vehement Najib critic.

For the past six months, Najib has been battling corruption allegations, strident calls for him to step down from Mahathir and a slowing economy, which many thought would deal him a knock-out blow.

But Najib, 62, has defied all predictions of his ouster and his grip on power seems to be growing stronger. Analysts and even some opposition figures expect him to last until the next general elections in 2018.

“His position is a lot safer than six-to-12 months ago. He is looking unassailable,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of independent pollster Merdeka Centre.

Najib has nimbly navigated himself through the fall-out of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the country’s state investment firm, 1 Malaysian Development Berhad (1MDB), whose advisory board he chairs. 1MDB amassed USD$9.6 billion of debt in just five years.