Malaysian PM Convicted? But Where's Our Accountability?
Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted for looting the state's 1MDB fund, channeled over $700 million into his personal accounts. The AP reports the judge dismissed his 'political donation' defense as 'incapable of belief.' Meanwhile, in the land of the free, we often see politicians facing allegations of influence peddling — say, receiving significant 'campaign contributions'
from defense contractors or foreign interest groups — only to then vote on legislation that directly benefits those donors. No convictions, just quiet retirements into well-paid lobbying gigs. One might wonder if the 'unmistakable bond' between Najib and his financial facilitator, Low Taek Jho, is truly so different from the 'unmistakable bond' between a certain US Senator and, perhaps, the
military-industrial complex or the Israeli lobby. While Najib faces prison, those here often face re-election with even more funding. It seems some nations take financial impropriety seriously, while others call it 'bipartisan cooperation.'