Malaysia’s ruling party vice-president quits amid raging 1MDB row
Fifth-most senior leader of United Malay National Organisation to resign since financial scandal broke
A senior leader of Malaysia’s ruling party quit on Monday, the latest among several party officials to leave or be sacked after criticising Prime Minister Najib Razak over a multi-billion dollar financial scandal involving a state-owned fund.
Recent electoral wins and a gradual recovery in the economy have allowed Najib to sack more critics and reshuffle his cabinet, bringing in loyalists ahead of general polls that may be held as early as next year.
Shafie Apdal, who as a vice-president was the fifth-most senior leader of the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO), resigned two weeks after two other senior leaders were sacked by the party over their criticism of Najib’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
“Justice is not being done. There is no justice in the way UMNO is being run,” Shafie said on Monday at a rally in his home constituency of Semporna, a ruling party stronghold in the Borneo state of Sabah.
There is no justice in the way UMNO is being run
The rally was telecast on social media. Shafie does not hold any post in government.
Najib has a tight grip over UMNO. He emerged stronger last month as the party’s supreme council sacked deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. It also suspended Shafie, pending investigations into his conduct by the disciplinary board.