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Najib Razak’s kleptocracy and Malaysia’s credible judiciary
For many Indonesians who are suspicious of the integrity of the judiciary system in the country, especially when the court dropped the mega-corruption case involving former president Soeharto in 2000, the system in Malaysia is a model to look up to.
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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at Kuala Lumpur High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 28, 2020. (Reuters/Lim Huey Teng)
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hen I read the report stating that former prime minister of Malaysia Najib Razak would be imprisoned for 12 years, I immediately remembered a senior Malaysian politician who accused this newspaper and me of slandering Najib, whom he described as a clean-as-crystal leader four years ago. In the editorial, the newspaper pointed out that Najib systematically played on the fear of the Malays of losing their constitutional privileges as first-class citizens before other ethnicities, mainly the Chinese and Indians, to maintain his mega-corruption practices.
The Constitution grants the Malays, who should be Muslims, the first-class status of citizens, whose number accounts for about 60 percent of the total population. Similar rules also apply in Brunei. Indonesia’s Constitution guarantees equality, although in daily practices the minority religious and ethnic groups endure a certain degree of discrimination in their relations with the majority.
The latest verdict of Malaysia’s highest court against Najib proved the independence of the country’s judiciary system, at least in the case of the former leader. The United Kingdom at least left a credible legal system and English language as legacies to its former colonies, including Malaysia and Singapore.
Do not forget that the civilian supremacy system is deeply rooted in the two neighboring countries, where civilian supremacy took hold. Indonesia upheld civilian supremacy, and restricted the military from politics, only after Soeharto’s 32-year dictatorship ended in 1998.
I attended a court hearing in Singapore several times and then I came to the conclusion that Indonesia lagged behind its neighbor in upholding justice.
For many Indonesians who are suspicious of the integrity of the judiciary system in the country, especially when the court dropped the mega-corruption case involving former president Soeharto in 2000, the system in Malaysia is a model to look up to. Malaysia’s Federal Court’s decision to uphold the 12-year imprisonment of Najib on Aug. 24 is one good example.
Some of my Malaysian friends, however, are worried Najib, who ruled the country for nine years until May 2018, will only be locked in the Kajang Prison in Selangor briefly if the 69-year-old politician receives a royal pardon from King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang. Najib originated from Pahang and he reportedly knows the king well.
