Najib Razak
Who was Najib Razak?
Malaysia's 6th Prime Minister (2009-2018) who was convicted in 2022 for corruption related to the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund scandal.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Najib Razak (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Mohammad Najib bin Abdul Razak was born on July 23, 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Malaysia, into a well-known political family. His father, Abdul Razak Hussein, was Malaysia's second Prime Minister, so Najib was familiar with politics from a young age. He went to Kian Kok Middle School, then attended Malvern College in England, and later studied economics at the University of Nottingham. This education in economics influenced how he approached governance and policy-making during his political career.
Najib stepped into politics at just 23 years old in 1976, right after his father's death. He won the parliamentary seat of Pekan in Pahang, which he held for over 40 years. He quickly moved up in Malaysia's political ranks, starting as a deputy minister the same year he joined Parliament. From 1982 to 1986, he was the Chief Minister of Pahang state, gaining valuable experience in regional governance. He later held various cabinet roles, including in defence, education, culture, youth and sports, and finance, showing his ability to handle different policy areas.
As Malaysia's sixth Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, Najib made significant economic changes, such as subsidy cuts and introducing the Goods and Services Tax. His government pursued economic policies to modernize Malaysia’s economy and cut government spending. However, his time in office was increasingly affected by corruption claims, especially those related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund. This scandal involved billions of missing dollars and implicated Najib and his associates in one of the world's largest financial fraud cases.
The 1MDB scandal eventually led to Najib's political downfall and his Barisan Nasional coalition's historic defeat in the 2018 general election, ending over 60 years of continuous rule by the alliance. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption charges related to the scandal and sentenced to prison, though he continued to claim innocence and pursued appeals. His case was a pivotal moment in Malaysian politics, showing that even top officials could face consequences for corruption. Despite his legal issues, Najib remains active in politics and still has a strong following among some groups in Malaysian society.
Before Fame
Growing up as the son of Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein, Najib was part of Malaysia's political elite from a young age. His father, responsible for Malaysia's New Economic Policy, gave him unique insights into governance and policy-making. The family's political status meant that Najib's path toward leadership was shaped by expectations and opportunities that were out of reach for most Malaysians.
His education, starting in local schools and continuing in prestigious British institutions, mirrored the path of many Malaysian political figures of his era. At the University of Nottingham, he studied at a time when many future Southeast Asian leaders were receiving Western education, which influenced their ideas about economic development and modernisation upon their return. This background made him part of a group of technocrats who would guide Malaysia's transition from a developing to a middle-income country.
Key Achievements
- Served as Malaysia's sixth Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018
- Held the parliamentary seat of Pekan for over four decades since 1976
- Led the Barisan Nasional coalition and United Malays National Organisation as president
- Implemented significant economic liberalisation policies including subsidy reforms
- Served as Menteri Besar of Pahang and held multiple cabinet portfolios throughout his career
Did You Know?
- 01.He was elected to Parliament at age 23, making him one of the youngest MPs in Malaysian history at the time
- 02.Najib is the first Malaysian Prime Minister to be convicted and sentenced to prison while still alive
- 03.He received the Collar of the Order of Abdul Aziz Al Saud from Saudi Arabia, one of the kingdom's highest honors
- 04.Both his father Abdul Razak Hussein and he served as Prime Ministers, making them the only father-son pair to hold Malaysia's highest office
- 05.He has been married twice, first to Tengku Puteri Zainah and later to Rosmah Mansor, who also became embroiled in corruption scandals
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Collar of the Order of Abdul Aziz Al Saud | — | — |