Malaysia’s Najib and ally charged in 1.6-billion-USD graft case
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak and an ally on October 25 were charged with allegedly looting USD 1.6 billion of public money, the latest accusations against him in the case associated with the scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak (in suit) (Photo: EPA/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Malaysia'sformer Prime Minister Najib Razak and an ally on October 25 were charged with allegedlylooting USD 1.6 billion of public money, the latest accusations against him inthe case associated with the scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad(1MDB) fund.
Najib was jointly chargedin a court in Kuala Lumpur with ex-senior finance ministry official,Mohamad Irwan Serigar Abdullah, with six counts of criminal breach of trust.But they denied all the charges.
Thecharges involved 6.6 billion ringgit (1.6 billion USD) of public money from the1MDB and allegedly took place between December 2016 and December 2017. Eachcharge is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
Local media reported that some of the money was used to pay debts owedby 1MDB to Abu Dhabi sovereignwealth fund IPIC. The Malaysian state investment fund slid into a massive debthole as huge sums of money were allegedly stolen and used to buy everythingfrom a super-yacht, to high-end real estate and pricey artworks.
Anotherkey Najib ally, former spy chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid,is expected to be charged in court later the same day. The former primeminister's wife, Rosmah Mansor, and the new leader of his party, the United Malays National Organisation(UMNO), Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have also been arrested and charged.
Najibhas now been hit with 38 charges since losing power, most of them related toallegations that he and his cronies plundered vast sums from the 1MDB.According to theMalaysian authorities, the total market value of luxury watches, jewellery,high-end handbags, and cash seized at properties linked to Najib amounted to372 million USD.
Najib founded the 1MDB investmentfund in 2009, supposedly to serve Malaysia’s development through globalpartnerships and foreign direct investment. However, it became the centre of amoney laundering scandal, allegedly causing losses of up to 3.7 billion USD andleading to probes into the financial markets in several countries such as theUS, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, and China.
Najib will go on trial on February12, 2019. The trial will run from February 12 to March 29, 2019. If convicted,he will face multi-year prison sentences.-VNA
Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been charged with money laundering in association with the scandal at state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim officially returned to political life just five months after he was freed from jail by winning a by-election for a parliamentary seat on October 13.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was questioned again by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on October 16 on what related to the scandal-hit state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on October 18 arrested former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in an investigation into suspected misappropriation of funds from a charity foundation.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak (in suit) (Photo: EPA/VNA) 
