'Najib Razak conviction not about revenge or politics, but justice and accountability'

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Bersih 2.0 secretariat manager Mandeep Singh said Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s conviction in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case was not about revenge or politics, but about justice, accountability and the rule of law taking precedence over power and impunity.

Mandeep said the Bersih 4 rally in 2015 was organised in direct response to the 1MDB scandal, which drew international attention and led to a collapse of public trust in the government at the time.

Najib was tonight sentenced by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to 15 years’ imprisonment and fined RM11.4 billion after being found guilty in the 1MDB case.

“Thank you to each and every one of you who stood with us during the Bersih 4 and Bersih 5 rallies,” Mandeep said.

“Thank you for showing up not just on the streets, but at the ballot box on May 9, 2018, to reclaim our democracy, restore the rule of law, strengthen broken institutions, and begin the long process of reform.”

He said the struggle was never easy and demanded courage, sacrifice, and resilience, adding that many had paid a heavy price long before change finally came.

“Some lost their freedom, some their safety, and some their peace of mind, all in the belief that Malaysia could be better,” he added.

“And we do deserve better. Malaysians should be proud of what we have achieved together.

“This was not a gift from politicians. This change did not come from the powerful. It came from ordinary Malaysians who refused to stay silent.”

Mandeep reiterated that Najib’s conviction was about justice and accountability, and the rule of law finally taking precedence over power and impunity.

He said Bersih 4 was organised in direct response to the 1MDB scandal and the erosion of public trust in government, adding that an estimated 500,000 people took part in the 34-hour rally, one of the largest mass mobilisations in Malaysia’s history.

High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah found Najib guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion in 1MDB funds deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The judge ordered that Najib’s jail term begin in 2028, after he completes his six-year prison sentence in the SRC International case.

Najib was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for each of the four abuse of power charges, and five years’ imprisonment for each of the 21 money laundering charges.

The court ruled that the jail terms were to run concurrently. Najib, who is currently serving his sentence in the SRC International case, is due to be released on Aug 23, 2028.