Malaysian lawmakers yesterday took their oath in parliament, including former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, who has been charged in a massive corruption scandal that led to his coalition’s electoral defeat.
The swearing-in ceremony of 221 lawmakers opened the first Parliament session after Najib’s long-ruling coalition was ousted in May 9 elections, ushering in Malaysia’s first change of power since independence from Britain in 1957.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the world’s oldest leader at 93, made his return to parliament for the first time in 15 years after ending his retirement to challenge Najib over the corruption scandal.
Najib won his parliamentary seat, despite his coalition’s defeat. A lawmaker is only disqualified if convicted and sentenced to more than a year in jail or fined more than 2,000 ringgit (US$494).
“I accept it because I want to serve the people. I want to be a constructive opposition member and play a role to ensure that democracy in our country is meaningful and healthy,” Najib told reporters, when asked how he felt sitting on the opposition bench.
Najib, 64, earlier this month pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power, making him one of few Southeast Asian leaders to be prosecuted after losing office.
His court case is linked to the 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) state investment fund that he set up when he took power in 2009, but which accumulated billions in debt and prompted investigations in the US, Switzerland and several other countries.
Mahathir had reopened investigations into 1MDB that were stifled under Najib’s rule, and barred Najib and his wife from leaving the country.
Najib denies any wrongdoing and has accused the new government of pursuing a vendetta against him.
Police have also seized jewelry and valuables valued at more than 1.1 billion ringgit from properties linked to Najib.
US prosecutors allege that Najib’s associates looted and laundered at least US$4.5 billion from the fund.
Switzerland Attorney General Michael Lauber last month said that the fraud could involve as much as US$7 billion.
Earlier, Najib and dozens of opposition lawmakers walked out over the appointment of the new lower house speaker, a retired judge.
Najib said the walk-out was not a rejection of the new speaker, but the government’s failure to give a 14-day advance notice to the house on his appointment.
Only one of the 222 lawmakers in parliament was absent for the swearing-in, Malaysian Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is recovering from surgery.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number