The conclusion of najib’s case marks a milestone in Malaysian politics. Never before has a former prime minister been convicted of corruption in or out of office, for that matter. The razak family name has taken a terrible fall from grace, the scion of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister known widely as “mr establishment” himself has tested the judicial waters and it totally froze him out.
Najib still has legal avenue to appeal his 7 convictions and the appellate process will be yet another test of the Malaysian bench’s independence and virility as a force for good or well, not so good. In order to overturn his 7 convictions, najib’s lawyers must prove that the trial judge had erred in law or that fresh compelling and material evidence had emerged rendering their client’s convictions unsafe and unsatisfactory.
One hopes that the days of Eusoff Chin sitting at the head of the bench and passing shocking, unwarranted appellate decisions are well and truly a thing of the past. Indeed, the new appellate bench almost comprising exclusively of female appellate judges could just be the refreshing change that this country needs. But we will see.
For now, justice has been done and it has been seen to be done. And that is all that one can hope for.
It is today the 06th Jan 2022 and as i write this, najib's appeal to the Court of Appeal has been dismissed a few months ago with the appellate judge calling him a "National Embarrassment" when najib pleaded "national interests" in his defence. Najib's next and final appeal is to the Federal Court and he has in the meantime obtained a stay of execution of his conviction pending the hearing of his final appeal.
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