‘I love the simple lifestyle,’ Najib says in Netflix documentary about Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal
- The episode, titled Man at the Top, examines the pilfering of the sovereign wealth fund, and features interviews with the ex-prime minister at home
- Meanwhile, as new premier Muhyiddin Yassin installs his new administration, some members of coalition partner Umno have been unhappy over their few numbers in cabinet
“I mean – like most women – my wife does like to shop, but you tend to accumulate things over a period of time,” he tells interviewers in an episode of Dirty Money, a Netflix original series which investigates corporate corruption, securities fraud and creative accounting.
“I sometimes complain, ‘Don’t keep those things. You are a hoarder. You keep things for a long time. Get rid of them, you know?’” Najib says.
Najib and Rosmah trials reveal bribery allegations, luxury gifts
The former prime minister says that claims he leads an opulent life have been “widely exaggerated in terms of my lifestyle”.
“I’m basically a simple person. I love the simple lifestyle,” he says.
In the episode, Najib defends having expensive gifts, which he says come from friends who “give us presents”.
“And it is not something against the law for Malaysians to receive presents. Every head of government receives gifts, particularly from the Middle East,” he says.
“Your president received gifts from the Middle East as well. It’s well documented,” he tells the interviewer, referring to US President Donald Trump.
The former first couple are currently facing multiple charges of corruption, with the court hearing stories of lavish luxury gifts, bribery allegations and expedited government tenders.
The pair were charged soon after Najib was ousted in the 2018 general election. Police later raided their homes, seizing about US$275 million worth of goods – including 284 boxes of designer handbags, 2,200 rings, 1,400 necklaces, 14 tiaras, 423 watches, and 234 pairs of designer sunglasses.
The confiscations earned Rosmah comparisons with former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, and underlined the former government’s detachment from grass roots issues, in stark contrast to the economic woes and discontent faced by ordinary Malaysians.
Can I advise you something? Rosmah’s scolding of Najib sweeps Malaysia
Rumours of Rosmah’s profligate spending and supposed control over Najib have consistently followed the former first lady, whose public image took a further beating after anti-corruption authorities released phone recordings in which she was heard to be “scolding” him.
After the 2018 election, the progressive Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition toppled Najib’s corruption-tainted United Malays National Organisation (Umno) administration for the first time in six decades.
In shock developments last month however, the PH has since exited government, which is now headed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a former Umno strongman who had initially been part of PH, before leaving his party when Mahathir Mohamad abruptly resigned as premier.
Now, members of Umno have returned to power in cabinet positions under Muhyiddin’s new ruling coalition – which consists of Umno, Muhyiddin’s United Indigenous Party of Malaysia (Bersatu), and the conservative Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) – called the Perikatan Nasional (PN), or National Alliance.
The new coalition was forged amid concerns by the PH coalition, now in opposition, that Malaysia’s new government would slowly see a slew of Umno members – including Najib and his former deputy Zahid Hamidi – return to power via the “back door”.
Zahid Hamidi, an Umno strongman who is currently facing scores of corruption and abuse of power charges, said on Thursday that Umno would support and defend the PN coalition – at least until Malaysia’s next election, slated to happen in 2023 unless snap polls are called.
Zahid also urged the new government to “fulfil its responsibility” by “not repeating the mistakes of the previous Pakatan Harapan government in dealing with issues affecting the sensitivities of race relations in the country”.
Umno would serve as a check and balance on the new government, he said.
Zahid’s remarks may indicate that while Umno has made peace with Muhyiddin’s new cabinet – in which some Umno members, who have so far been seen as corruption-free, were appointed as ministers and deputy ministers – “the party is attempting to pressure the premier into appointing key Umno leaders in prominent positions in government agencies and GLCs”, said Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, director at consulting firm BowerGroupAsia.
Malaysia’s new cabinet sees return of Umno, with a banker as finance minister
Under the new administration, Umno has the largest parliamentary bloc, but it does not have a corresponding representation in cabinet – which had sparked criticism by some members.
Azalina Said Othman, a former Umno minister, asked on Twitter: “In honouring the spirit of a coalition partnership, don’t we (Umno) deserve a fairer deal?”
Political scientist Awang Azman Awang Pawi said many Umno leaders were unhappy that Umno’s efforts to co-engineer a government takeover did not conclude in a result that reflects “the true strength of Umno”.
“Umno is the dominant party in parliament, but Bersatu dominates Cabinet, including strategic posts such as Economic Affairs and Education,” he said.
